A Son's Story Book One: Goku's Legacy
by HurricaneSoldier
Summary: AU. If Goku never fought another battle or won another victory, his legacy would already be set in stone. He married his beautiful wife, Chi-Chi and spends his days teaching his son Gohan martial arts. All that changes when a foe too powerful for him shows up and kidnaps Gohan, Goku then has to team up with his greatest rival Piccolo to save his son.
1. Prologue

The King of the Saiyan race overlooks a force of nearly two million Saiyans, gathered just north of the capital city of Vegeta. He is wearing a dark purple shoulder cape lined with gold, an ornate steel blade sits comfortable in his hand. He is a tall man, taller than a majority of his race. His armor is a blend of burgundy and black with his family crest adorned on his burgundy chest-plate in a lustrous gold.

The army stretches miles across the grassy landscape of the Saiyan homeworld and is all wearing armor similar to their kings – though not nearly as ostentatious. This is a serious lot, marshaled today for battle, as thousands of enemy ships hover above their heads. Neither faction wants to make the first move, both sides waiting for the battle to begin. Freeza, a galactic tyrant, sits in orbit above planet Vegeta with six legions from his mufti-species army. Totaling over a million troops. The Saiyans have the numbers, but they lack the power to compete with the might of the Galactic overlord, or at least on the surface. The twitching of the Saiyan's tail, their lust for battle shows that deep within the Warriors is a power waiting to unleash, and today Freeza's forces will get a taste of Saiyan might.

"To all the Saiyans marshaling, or fleeing." King Vegeta says into his purple scouter. He towers over his royal guard that surrounds him. The group stands on a raised platform just north of their largest city. A grim look on the King's face as he continues his speech. "For generations, we have fought for our very survival always coming out on top, that is until Freeza came along, I surrendered without a fight – I am sorry."

"At the time, and indeed even now, his power is probably too much for us, but today chance presents us no other choice, we fight or we die," Vegeta says staring reverently at the blade in his hand. "Fight, or die what a choice. Would you Saiyans have it any other way!" An echoing cheer resounds from around the city, and indeed from around the planet. A smile spreads across Vegeta face before he continues.

"We are Saiyans, proud warriors, and if today is our doom, then let us litter the atmosphere with the dead bodies of Freeza legion," Vegeta says continuing. "Hell, our scouts say the Ginyu force is here," Vegeta says laughing. "Be sure to send those posing freaks to hell," Vegeta says, a response of chants could be heard.

A choir of Saiyans singing folk songs is heard across the Saiyan's ranks which, when the army finishes assembling, it will be over two million strong, this is the first and only time in the history of the Saiyan race that they would fight together on a united front, and probably the last.

"Decades ago, when Freeza first attacked you all united around me, and I failed you." Some boos were heard through the ranks. "We could have fought, but unorganized and outmatched, we stood no chance, today we stand here united in solidarity, I can smell the enemies fear from here," Vegeta says, a small pale blue ball of energy forms in his hand as he begins to wrap up his speech.

"They say Freeza fears us, well, let's give him good cause." King Vegeta says, letting the blue ball float to the sky, dozens of other blue balls float from the millions of Saiyans now assemble ready to soar into battle.

A loud primal scream is heard as millions of Saiyans start to transform into the great ape "Show them our power." Vegeta says, thrusting his sword into ground letting out a howl and beginning his own transformation. The armor of the Saiyans begins to expand as their transformation begins.

"Go now, Go, for the pride of the Saiyan Race, for my son! Go, and fight, turn the sky red with the blood of Freeza's bastards" King Vegeta bellows as he completes his transformation into the Giant ape firing a giant energy wave into the sky slicing through one of Freeza's transport ships the screams of dying soldiers could be heard from the upper atmosphere. Millions of great apes take this as their cue to launch into battle.

* * *

Across the planet, far away from the battle, Saiyan infants are getting loaded into pods. The building is hidden away in a crater near the equator. The only part of the building exposed to the sunlight is camouflage hangers where the pods will fire out of guarded by a garrison of a hundred younger Saiyan men.

Inside the building, a team of thirty doctors quickly giving each baby a physical before placing them into a pod, getting ready to launch the pods into the cosmos, towards planets that may contain life far from Freeza's grasp. The building rocks as the clash above the planet begin. The doctors work quickly and quietly hiding their panic as the battle starts, trying to pick the best and most strong babies possible to fill the four thousand pods – should the battle go foul these children will carry the fate of the Saiyan race with them, along with the adults who were off fighting on other worlds, they have orders to go into hiding.

One mother sits in a corner holding her child, close to her chest, tears streaming down her face. The doctors rejected her son. The claim being he is not strong enough to survive on his own. A frail older Saiyan approaches the grieving mother. "Gine, I cannot say how sorry I am, Kakarrott is just not healthy enough, he will die in space. Most of these children will – even stronger ones." The doctor says solemnly.

"Just leave me alone," Gine says softly. "I just want to hold my son," Gine says, for the first time since his birth the mother got a chance to hold her son. Most mothers never hold their children, the King takes the children at birth and train them into warriors. Holding her child is a rare occurrence, and she clutches her son gently.

A large boom is heard overhead and the doctor that approaches Gine curses. "goddamnit the fight is not supposed to get this close, a second explosion rages even closer. Alarm sound off throughout the building, another explosion happens, "No, dammit, get those pods loaded the enemy is here. The garrison won't hold for long."

* * *

Bardock, spouse of Gine, and father to her children, such that it is in the Saiyan home world. Rises into battle, the only Saiyan, not in the great ape from. Bardock squad is dead, he is the lone survivor of his squad, he made it back in time and only has one target. The man who ordered the killing of his squad-mates – Freeza. Freeza the galactic tyrant who forced King Vegeta to bend the knee.

Bardock is dodging in and out of combat ambushing Freeza hapless soldiers while they attempted to deal with the threat of two million great apes charging through the atmosphere to combat their advisory. Bardock however, is covertly making his way to Freeza's ship using the King's royal guard as cover as they carve up the center of Freeza's army.

Some Saiyan apes were dying, being overrun or isolated from the troop, but in the early stages of the battle, the Saiyan Army has a decisive advantage. Part of Bardock thought that they might actually make it out alive. His thoughts flashing between his sons, and revenge. "Freeza!" Bardock cries as he buries his fist into a purple fish like alien's face, sending him spiraling into the abyss of space.

Bardock stops just as a giant pink energy wave flash across the sky digging into the hull of a transport ship ripping it to shreds, zooming forward Bardock finds himself ahead of the column of advancing apes led by King Vegeta. Not wanting to get into a solo fight against thousands Bardock loops around finding a straggling Freeza soldier behind the Saiyans line and digs his foot into his jaw rotating around the shocked trooper firing an energy blast through his torso causing him to fall over dead.

The Saiyans did not have the advanced armor that Freeza's army has, nor the manpower, and in most cases did not have physical strength, but what the Saiyans did have is a trump card. The tails on their backs unlock a genetic secret that allows them to transform into the great ape multiplying their power by tenfold with only a slight reduction in speed. This transformation allows the warrior race to stand up to the might of Freeza and his army.

The fight rolls on as the center column advance almost unhindered, most of the strongest fighters in Freeza army being diverted away from Freeza flagship. A giant round ship that housed the emperor himself.

Bardock can not figure out why Freeza is neglecting his own defense, surely the rumors of his power cannot be true because if it is it will doom the Saiyan cause. As the royal guard closes in on the ship five pods come into view.

The first four pods open, leaving the fifth closed shut. As the steam from the pods clear it reveals four members of the notorious Ginyu force. A short green alien with four eyes, named Guldo, he sticks his arms up in the air mimicking a crane. The next a tall humanoid with orange hair, and fair skin, Recoome. The next two stand directly across from each other and strike mirrored poses. A red humanoid with long white hair extends his arms to the right pointing his fingers towards the center pod – Jeice. The other humanoid a tall blue creature with snakelike yellow eyes, he extends his fingers to the left towards the center pod – Burter.

Bardock now knows why the center is weaker than the flanks because in the heart of the center is Freeza most elite units of fighters, the Ginyu force. Bardock resists the itch to transform slowing his advance to let the Kings elites engage the Ginyu force.

The last pod opens slower than the rest, as a tall figure with horns extending from each side of his head steps out from the pod. His skin a deep purple, and his armor like the rest of his force solid black. Without a word he turns his back to the battle bends over and sticks his head between his legs, extending each of his arms. This is Captain Ginyu.

The Ginyu Force fires into battle, attacking the vanguard of the Saiyan Army, King Vegeta, and his elites; initially, the Ginyu Force overwhelms hundreds of the great apes dispatching them. In horror, Bardock watches the might of the Ginyu Force kills dozens of the apes with a series of blasts. The group is moving unnaturally quickly giving the apes, little to no time to react.

Bardock notices that the green one, Guldo, isn't involving himself in the fight and indeed is just standing still near the pods. A squadron of Freeza's other soldiers moves in to protect Guldo. "Must be important," Bardock mumbles to himself charging into the fight, Bardock collides with the disorganized squad still trying to get into place. Blazing past the squad Bardock places his fist into Guldo's gut, sending him careening into the pods.

Bardock quickly turns attention to the squad dispatching them with a burst of energy essentially frying his adversary. Bardock looks back and sees that the Kings forces are now pushing back against the Ginyu force.

That is until Ginyu barks an order and Jeice and Burter fly above the battle and start flying in a circle emitting energy creating a vortex of energy ready to turn the tide of the fight. Bardock turns to go back after Guldo, as a rogue pink energy wave fires past him towards Freeza ship colliding creating a giant explosion. Through the fire and smoke, Bardock can see a man in a vehicle of sort flanked by two guards, one tall and fit, the other short and thick.

Bardock knew instantly that this is Freeza, without a second thought, he rushes to take out his target. Revenge now his only focus.

Meanwhile, the king's forces are falling back as they are losing dozens of their troop to this cyclonic attack from Jeice and Burter. King Vegeta rallies forward, trying to steady his troop, his fur matted with blood from battle, his teeth stained red from combat, Vegeta saw victory and he would be damned if the Ginyu force is going to stop him.

King Vegeta, charges headlong into the Captain of the Ginyu force, trying to hit him with his giant ape fist. Ginyu dodges and swats Vegeta's fist away with one hand, propelling himself forward Ginyu uppercut King Vegeta in his mouth sending him recoiling backward. Vegeta can barely react from the blow when Ginyu buries his foot into the ape's abdomen sending him careening back towards the planet.

Ginyu then charges up an attack, and sends down at the King, killing Vegeta. Though most of the apes had not noticed their king just died, the elite guards did as they break, fleeing back to the safety of the surface.

Bardock did not see his king die, in many ways he did not care. His vengeance is in sight Bardock soars to Freeza fighting his way to through demoralized troops, as they attempt to reorganize and get back in the fight.

Bardock gets within range of Freeza a sick smile on his face. Two horns stick out of his head much in the way of Captain Ginyu. The skin on his arms is pink, while the skin on his face is white. He appears to have an exoskeleton on his hand and forearms with a purple crystal embedded in the center of his head.

Freeza is holding up one finger, looking at Bardock. Rage filled Bardock, as he screams "Freeza!" a blue ball energy form his hand, and tosses it at Freeza. A small smirk on Freeza's face as a molten ball of energy forms on his finger, and gradually grows bigger.

Bardock's attack dwarfs in size compared to Freeza's attack. Bardock's attack collides with Freeza's attack not fazing the demon. A sick smirk grows on Freeza's face, as he launches the molten ball towards Bardock, and indeed planet Vegeta. Fear overcomes Bardock, as the moon-sized attack collides with him, killing him in a matter of seconds.

Bardock's last thoughts are not about his vengeance, but his family. "Gine, Raditz, Kakarrott, please live and fight," Bardock says as the world grows cold around him.

* * *

Gine turns to the doctor and hands him Kakarrott. "Get my son in one those pods – give him a chance. I will buy you as much time as I can." Gine says, walking towards the door, thick iron with layers of extra iron riveted on.

"I.. I.. Gine, you." The doctor says stammering through his words. Sweat pooling on his bald head. "I don't know what to say."

Gine looks back not at the doctor but her son, Kakarrott a loving smile on her face. Tears start falling again down her face. "Just give my son a chance – okay?" Gine says, walking back and ruffling Kakarrott's spiky hair – kissing him gently on his forehead.

"You have my word, fight well." The doctor says before rushing towards an empty pod. Gine turns back to the heavy iron door, as the first blast hits it, then a second, and a third. The door begins to buckle under the strain of the blast.

"Die," Gine says quietly, charging two personal pink energy blast launching them towards the weaken door. Gine's energy blasts rip through the iron door colliding with the force behind the door. A symphony of screams cries out from Freeza's Forces as Gine's blast catches the unit off guard.

Gine launches another blast, followed by another puncturing and incinerating the remains of the door., sending the first wave of Freeza's strike force flying. Gine not wasting anytime rushes into the breach, slipping under the first few soldiers, coming up surrounded. A purple warrior with yellow spots grabs her by her hair and yank her backward.

Gine taking advantage of the shifting momentum falls backward delivering a knee to the middle of the alien's skull. A sick crunching sound is heard as the body crumples under her. Gine gets her hand down catching herself, sweeping the leg of another alien, yellow scales covering a black skin. As the alien falls, Gine digs her elbow into the fighters ribs, planting him in the ground.

The remaining six warriors all go in, attempting to attack Gine together. The problem is that there is no cohesion in the aliens' attacks – no teamwork. Because of the lack of cohesion, Gine is able to isolate a larger purple alien, with sacs of liquid hanging from its arm, down an adjacent hallway away from the rest. Strangely, they do not pursue.

Gine tumbles in the air delivering a debilitating ax kick to the alien shoulder forcing the Alien to one knee. Gine then shoves the alien on his back mounting him and delivering several energy blasts straight to his face. Gine moves off of the alien focusing her attention on the encroaching soldiers when she feels a tug from behind she notices the alien, who is missing half of his face, is still alive.

In an instance, the dying alien sends energy through his body bursting the sacs of liquid on his arm. The liquid flies towards Gine. Gine slices the alien's hand off, turning around and kneeling to prevent most of the liquid from hitting exposed skin. Gine screams in pain as the liquid scorches her skin on contact. Before she has time to do anything but scream an alien with rainbow scales, and white hair that resembles a horse mane, starting on his forehead and running down below his waist, plants his foot squarely into Gine's chest. The blow sends her into the ground and cracking her armor she tries to scream, but blood flies out of her mouth.

Squirming Gine fires an energy blast at the alien's head, but it goes nowhere, the back of her arms feels like the entire first layers of skin are burning off of her arm. Gine fires another blast and it connects to her horror the blast does nothing to the alien, in fact, she realizes that this alien is not one of the six that she fought earlier. It is way stronger than the rest.

"Dammit," Gine gargles through blood and spit, trying to get its claw-like foot off of her to no avail. The alien lifts Gine up by its foot slamming her back into the ground, the ground below her begins to crack. He does not stop there, again and again, Gine starts to convulse from the pain of the impact.

Knocked silly, barely able to catch her breath Gine helpless lies on the ground awaiting her death. Despite the ringing in her ears, she can hear pods taking off. A small smile form on her face. Her vision fades as she see the bald doctor from earlier come up and plants his fist squarely into the rainbow creature's jaw sending him into the wall nearby.

The doctor lifts Gine up and carries her into the launch room. "There is one pod left. I set it to the same place as your son. You can raise him." The doctor says, as soon as he finishes a purple laser pierces his chest, sending him to the ground and Gine rolling helplessly down the stairs.

She uses a nearby console to pull herself up, hitting several buttons as she does, unknowingly changing the coordinates of her pod, stumbling towards the pod. The sound of hundreds of crying Saiyan is heard as Freeza Solders overrun the base. Gine grimaces grabbing a baby girl from a nearby containment cradle and shoots for the last pod, only for the rainbow alien to appear in front of her backhanding her into the base of the pod. Gine manages to cover up protecting the baby

Gine looks up and sees a purple blast forming in the alien's hand, struggling she turns her back to the creature in another effort to protect the child. "Gine, get out of here." The scream from the wounded doctor willing Gine to action. She struggles to her feet, cradling the infant in her arm, looking back at the doctor struggling to hold on to the alien's back, Gine makes a decision, she places the female baby into the pod and closes the door, launching the infant into the sky.

Gine turns back to the fight to see the doctor being slammed through a console. Gine rushes the creature an energy sword forming in her hand, and she cleaves the rainbows creature's leg off. It begins to fall off-balance, and Gine runs the blade through its chest. The creature catches Gine by the head as he falls to the ground, energy warms her face as it charges a blast. With the last bit of her strength, she wrenches the hand off her and kicks the dying alien off of her to the side.

Gine crawls over to console looking up through the hanger into the open sky, soon the Freeza's minions would be done with rest of the doctors and the infants then they will come for her, and kill her. But for now Gine smiles into the sky as waves of fire spread across it, and the ground beneath her shakes wildly. As the planet erupts around her, Gine says a silent prayer. "Bardock, Raditz, Kakarrott, please survive this."


	2. Chapter 1

Gohan sits on a log overlooking a lake just south of his house. The murky waters teeming with life. Ranging from the six different types of moss that grow on the rocky crag just north of the lake, to the dozens of fish teeming below stirring the sediment that clouds the surface. The four-year-old scoots over to the water dipping his exposed toes in recoiling at the temperature. The late spring snow melt keeps the waters frigid till late summer; despite Gohan's house only being at a middling altitude.

Gohan rolls on his back in shock as a figure crests the water, tossing a fish on the shore. "I got it, Daddy," Gohan says running up to the shore and grabbing the monster fish by his tail fin.

At first, the fish is too much for Gohan lifting the boy a foot into the air as it thrashes about desperate to get back to the water. Gohan manages to pull himself back to the ground, he plants his feet Gohan twists his body, hefting the fish on his shoulder, dragging it up and away from the embankment – away from its hopes of escape. "Good job son," Goku praises lifting himself out of the lake. Goku puts his gi top and bottoms back on and, walks over to where his son is dragging the fish. "You are getting strong, I think you are stronger than I was at your age," Goku says hefting Gohan up on his left shoulder.

Gohan hugs his father's neck. "I will never be as strong as you," Gohan replies as Goku picks up the fish and starts towards the house. There is a well-worn path from the lake to Goku's ancestral home. Most of the flowers around the mountain blooms in the first months of spring. This leaves a beautiful array of colors flowing back towards Son's home from the lake.

Goku smiles thinking about just how strong Gohan is. At three years old Gohan blew a tree in half, and just a few months ago propelled himself up a cliff. There is a power deep within Son Gohan, and his father, through training, plans for extracting it. "I don't know Gohan, I think you will be stronger than me before you know it."

Gohan just smiles and responds "Yeah, right." The young Son starts laughing. Goku responds to his son's adulation by tossing him into the sky with one arm, catching Gohan falling back towards the ground. "Again, again," Gohan says joyfully, as Goku tosses his son back high into the sky.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi calls noticing Goku and Gohan coming over the hill carrying their fish. Goku sits Gohan down and the little Son runs over to his mother. Chi-Chi's hair is black and tied in a bun to prevent dirt from getting into her hair while she tends the family garden. She is wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of old jeans. Gohan jumps into his mom's arms embracing her.

"I caught a fish mommy," Gohan announces gleefully, then pauses. "Well, daddy caught it, I just helped, I am good at that." Chi-Chi smiles at her earnest son. Gohan slides down his mom's arms pointing towards his father walking towards the garden carrying a giant carp.

"Look at what Gohan caught," Goku exclaims holding the fish up by its tail fin for Chi-Chi to see. Chi-Chi smiles patting her son on the head "I am going to head down to the river to clean it, I'm thinking it will go well with some stew." Goku declares, approaching his wife.

Goku kisses Chi-Chi's gently, before veering out the garden and heading down towards the river. "Can I go to see Daddy clean the fish?" Gohan requests. His white shirt stained with mud from the saturated soil near the lake shore. Chi-Chi fixes one of his suspenders that fell down when Goku was tossing Gohan in the air.

"Sure, go ahead, but it is pretty gross," Chi-Chi answers playfully patting Gohan on his butt, Gohan starts after Goku. "Oh, and after dinner, be sure to do your reading and math," Chi-Chi says smiling.

"Okay, now, what to go in the stew," Chi-Chi says staring at the garden. "The cabbage is ripe, it will go well with the stew," Chi-Chi's says placing several heads of cabbage into her basket. "Let's see, definitely potatoes, carrots – what else turnips?" Chi-Chi's asks inquisitively trying to match the flavors in her head from the ingredients in her garden. "I'll make the stock from the bones, and add some onions for extra flavor," Chi-Chi speaks filling up her basket, content, she heads inside.

Down by the river about a hundred and fifty yards from their house Gohan finds a seat on a nearby stump. His father rests the carp on a sturdy log. "Okay, Gohan this is going to get gross like your mom said."

"I'll be fine, daddy," Gohan says, Goku nods affirmatively. Goku flips the fish around in such a way that the soft belly of the armored fish is facing him. Goku picks up the fillet knife, stabbing the fish just above the anus-fin Goku runs the blade gently along the fish's belly till it reaches its head. "Alright Gohan here comes the gross part, can you bring that basket closer?" Goku asks, parting the sliced belly open with his fingers reaching inside and yanking the innards out all in one go. Gohan turns away gagging. "Yeah, it isn't pretty, son."

Goku then removes the gallbladder carefully, not wanting to infect the fixings for the stew. "Okay, so the worst part is done. Now we just cut the head and tail off and your mom will do the rest." Gohan looks sickly at the guts sitting in the basket. Goku quickly removes the fish's head, and tail fin, throwing carcass of the fish into the basket. "Alright, I think we are just about done here," Goku declares, standing up. "I wonder if your mom will let us train a bit before dinner."

Back in the kitchen, Chi-Chi finishes chopping the potatoes into chunks preparing them for the stew. Goku and Gohan enter the kitchen carrying the basket of fish, Chi-Chi set the chunks on the cutting board and slides the innards into a pot of boiling water to prepare a stock. "Hey Chi-Chi, would it be okay if I train Gohan a bit before the sun goes down."

"Well." Chi-Chi says washing a head of cabbage, "Gohan is ahead of his reading. I suppose but please be careful." Chi-Chi finishes opening the refrigerator in the corner of the room, pulling out a pitcher of water sitting it on the small table next to the kitchen's entrance.

"Gohan, hurry and scoot upstairs and change into your gi," Goku says, once his son is upstairs Goku greets his wife with an embrace. "It won't be long before he is stronger than I am," Goku kisses his Chi-Chi lovingly.

"Be that as is it may, he is still small and fragile, so do not break him," Chi-Chi responds, playfully tweaking Goku's nose. "Do you really, think he is that strong?" Chi-Chi asks seriously pulling away from her husband grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

"Yeah, I mean he is already stronger than I was when I was twelve, and he has better control of his energy than I did until I trained under Master Roshi. So I don't think it will be too long, It's out of this world really." Goku says. "Plus, he got that fish under control while it was flopping around and it must have been fifty pounds."

"Hm as long as his studies don't fall behind I guess I am a little proud, you can start training him an hour in the evening now as well," Chi-Chi concedes giving Goku another kiss before turning back to her cooking. Gohan comes down the stairs wearing the same colors as his father.

"I am ready, daddy," Gohan exclaims holding his arms in the air, his orange gi matching his father. Goku slings Gohan on his back and waves goodbye to Chi-Chi before heading out the door with Gohan. Instead of heading back towards the lake or the river Goku dashes at extreme speeds up and over their mountain.

Goku keeps dashing in and out of the woods till he reaches a peak, three mountains away from his home. The peak sits just above the tree line, the mountain top is round with a gradual slope on all sides creating a pleasant grassy meadow. From atop the mountain, Goku and Gohan are able to see hundreds of miles of primeval forest untouched by man. "Alright, Gohan, let's see a ball of energy," Goku commands.

Gohan seats himself cross-legged in the middle of the meadow the grass coming up to his waist. "Okay, just like this, right?" Gohan questions cupping his hands Gohan holds them out in front of his body. Gohan strains trying to bring his energy out.

"Relax, Gohan remembers the energy flows through you," Goku reminds. Gohan stops straining and lets the energy move freely through his body. The young child starts to feel the energy move through his chest and into his arms, and just like that Gohan could feel the energy form into a small luminescent ball.

"Alright! Now make it bigger, put everything you have into the ball." Goku tells, curious to see how much power Gohan can muster. The ball starts growing, getting larger, and larger till the energy ball is about the size of Gohan's head. "Now toss it at me," Goku demands.

"Okay," Gohan says balancing the ball of light in his right hand, he wobbles to his feet. "Here I come," Gohan announces, tossing the orb at his father. Goku let the ball fly towards him catching it mere inches from colliding with his chest.

"What an arm," Goku says crushing the energy ball in his hand. "Woo, tomorrow I want you to throw it twice as hard," Goku encourages, Gohan nods eagerly.

"Want to see something cool?" Goku says getting down into a stance clenching his wrist together. "Ka!" Goku starts the incantation to his attack Gohan's eyes lighting up with excitement. "Me!" A blue ball form in his hands, "Hame!" The ball grew larger, and larger eclipsing Goku's hand. At the last second, Goku shifts his hands towards the sky. "Ha!"

A blue beam shoots into the sky faster than the speed of light. Goku pours more energy into blast sending it soaring higher into the sky. Goku stops pouring the energy into the sky and lets the beam travel independently into the sky.

"That was so cool," Gohan says, bouncing up and down on his heels, watching the beam streak into the sky. Goku narrowing his eyes, he flicks his wrist and the beam, despite being miles in the sky, hooks southward streaking back over the two's head. As soon as the Kamehameha wave passes over them, Goku slams his fist into the ground, sending the attack hurtling towards them. Goku sinks his feet into the dirt and extends his hands forward to catch the beam. Gohan scuttles away in fear as the destructive beam descends down on the father and son,

Goku did not have time to look to see if Gohan makes it safely away, as the blast collides with his hands. Goku struggles as the killer Wave's ferocity digs him inches into the ground. As the beam piledrives Goku, he manages to get it under control forming his Kamehameha wave into a large ball of energy. "See, Gohan this is what you can do with proper Ki manipulation, and I think you will get there sooner than you know." Goku finishes by kicking the ball of energy into the air sending it high into the sky. Goku lining up his shot, let out a scream, fires a second energy blast intercepting his Kamehameha destroys the energy causing a loud boom to echo across the skies.

"That is amazing, dad!" Gohan exclaims, Goku just scratches the back of his head. Gohan cupping his hands holds them out, then pulls them back to his hip, mimicking his father and starts chanting the words. "Kamehameha" A small blue beam shoots from Gohan's hand and towards Goku. Goku hit the deck, as the beam flies over his head, before dropping dissipating in the air. "Sorry," Gohan states apologetically.

"Wow," Goku says getting back to his feet and brushing himself off. "That is awesome, Gohan you are incredible." Goku looks up and seeing that the sun is going down. "Aw, we were just getting warmed up. I promise we will get up early tomorrow and get back out here."

"Alright, but only after I study," Gohan says, climbing up on his father shoulder's as they headed back towards their home in hopes that Chi-Chi would have dinner ready.


	3. Chapter 2

Four-year-old Gohan in an orange gi similar to his father's even down to the blue undershirt with matching wristbands and boots. The only difference in his father's clothes and Gohan's is that where the turtle hermit symbol is on Goku's clothes; the crest of the Son Family is on Gohan's. Gohan is holding a turtle with a yellow stripe below its eye gently between his pudgy fingers. Gohan's hair falls to the middle of his back tied up by his mother this morning his hair is spiked and shaggy with bangs falling in the front much like his father's. Gohan's coal-like eyes shining as he inspects the turtle. "Hm, I think that it is a yellow-eared," Gohan said, noting it in his notepad.

Sitting the little turtle down next to him, Gohan leans in to get a closer look. The turtle recoils into its shell, causing Gohan to jerk backward. "Sorry, mister turtle. I didn't mean to scare you." Gohan says with concern in his voice. Gohan places the turtle back into the river where he found it. The turtle quickly comes out of his shell and disappears into the water. Gohan closes his notebook stuffing it in his backpack, and heads down by the river watching the clouds pass through the trees overhead when a flock blue birds pass into his vision.

Gohan watches the tiny birds flying over him until one comes to rest on a fallen tree perched near the edge of the river just behind him. "Mister bird came to say hey," Gohan says, cheerfully turning on his heel heading towards the rotten log. Gohan setting his bag down begins inching his way on the log.

About half way out on the log the four-year-old finds himself fully over the river, Gohan drops on all fours crawling the rest of the way towards the limb where the blue bird is perched. The bird seems ambivalent as Gohan approaches. The closer Gohan gets he notices that the bird's underbelly is a vibrant orange. Gohan stops within arms reach of the bird thankfully the bird did not seem to mind the young Saiyan presence this is until Gohan reaches for it. The bird flies off, Gohan struggles to regain his balance as the log splinters causing it to break in half, sending Gohan tumbling down into the river.

Gohan let out a terrified shriek crashing into the cold river below; he initially is sucked under the water by the fast-moving current, but using his strength Gohan manages to work his way above the rapids. Gohan breaches the surface screaming, latching hold of the log struggling to pull himself up only to slip off and fall back underwater; surfacing again Gohan tries to scream, but only manages to hack up water. Desperately Gohan reaches for the log one last time, his hands glowing as his fingers sink deep into the wet wood.

"Hang on son," Goku calls from above, zeroing in on his son's position. Goku lowers his body to decrease the resistance to the wind and gain more speed trying to make it to his son before Gohan tumbles over the falls. Goku looks at the edge of the nearly eighty-foot waterfall that Gohan is barreling towards. Goku narrows his eyes and curses, "Dammit." pulling Nimbus up, narrowly missing the side of a mountain that the river rushed through.

As tense as the situation is Goku does his best to stay calm, still confident he will reach his son in time. As he closes in, Goku panics, the speed of Nimbus is not enough to catch Gohan. Extreme fear paralyzes Goku as he watches his son plunge over the falls, or so he thought.

Goku peering over the edge seeing no signs of his son falling, hearing no screaming; however, from above Goku hears a whimpering. He floats Nimbus upwards to see a shivering Gohan clinging to a tree branch thirty feet above the waterfall. "Well, how did you get up there Gohan," Goku asks in surprise. Gohan is getting stronger by the day, Goku notes with pride.

Gohan does not answer instead he throws himself at his father who easily catches him. "Daddy that was so scary the bird is so mean. I was just trying to play with it and it goes flying off." Gohan hysterically spits out words while burying his face in his father's chest. Goku lovingly wraps his arms around his son.

"It's okay, Gohan. I am here now. You're fine." Goku says, Gohan slowly stops sobbing. "How about we see if mom will let us train tonight when we get back from Master Roshi's place," Goku says the tone of his voice fades with enthusiasm. "Now no more tears," Goku adds sternly. Goku is eager to help draw out his son's latent power.

"You mean it,"Gohan asked, looking up at his father whipping his tears from his eyes. Goku nods his head, affirming his intention. Whether or not Chi-Chi will be happy about pulling Gohan away from more of his studies is another story. Goku knows the only way that Gohan made it up to that tree is through energy manipulation and continuing to train that skill at Gohan's age there is no telling how strong the child will become.

The training in the mornings and evening is a way for Goku to bond with his son. Goku worries that Chi-Chi pushing Gohan on his academics will cause Gohan push Goku away. After-all Goku has only ever been good at fighting, and if he could not pass that on to his son he would have nothing to give Gohan. Through training Gohan, Goku can ensure that his legacy passes on to his son.

"Come on Gohan let's head back home, and best not mention this to your mother. Don't want her worrying too much about you." Goku says, Gohan shaking his head in agreement. After a few moments of flying on Nimbus, the Son duo lands in the front yard of their house where Chi-Chi is waiting on the porch to greet them.

"Gohan, how did you get so wet?" Chi-Chi asks, reacting to the water dripping off Gohan's orange gi.

"I slipped into the river," Gohan responds nervously shivering from the cool mountain air. Gohan left out the part where he almost tumbled down the waterfall. Chi-Chi smiles, shaking her head before heading back into the kitchen. Minutes pass and Chi-Chi came back with a light blue towel to the door.

"Goku sits him down, Gohan gets those wet clothes off of you and get upstairs, and bathe," Chi-Chi said, commanding her son. Gohan took off his gi struggling to rip the wet clothes clinging to his body. After a minute Gohan manages to strip down to his underwear his tail swishing back and forth. Chi-Chi wraps the towel around Gohan sending him up the stairs.

"Up the stairs with you now, your outfit is laid out on your bed, and I want you to wear that hat your father made you with dragon ball on it – okay?" Chi-Chi finished as Gohan darts up the stairs into the hot tub.

"Chi-Chi, I am going to talk to grandpa for a bit," Goku said. "It's been a while." Chi-Chi nodded understandingly, Goku gave her a warm smile.

"Be sure you do not miss breakfast, or I might give your helping to Gohan." Chi-Chi teased. Goku groaned causing Chi-Chi to laugh at her husband gripping his stomach tightly. She closes the sliding door on him laughing all the while.

Goku stepping off the porch walks down a brick-laid path to a small building with a triangular roof. Goku stares at the building for several minutes before opening the door. The sudden motion of the screen door opening stirs the long-settled dust throughout the room. It has been a while.

Goku walks up to the small shrine in the middle of the room. The shrine itself is just a table in the center of the room with a cloth mat in front of it. At the shrine is a cat mask, that belonged to Goku's grandfather, and a power pole, a mystical staff that extends to great lengths. Usually, there is a third item on this shrine, the four-star dragon ball, but Goku gave that ball to his grandfather's namesake, his son Gohan.

Because of the four-star ball, Goku was able to meet Bulma, without this Dragon Ball Goku's life would end up completely different. Goku has not seen his friends since the Twenty-third World Martial Arts Tournament. The group has since gone on their own separate ways. Today they will reunite on Roshi's island; the place where their adventure truly got started.

Goku kneels down and sits on his knees in front of the shrine. "Hey grandpa," Goku says gently picking up the cat mask dusting it off. "It's been a while Gohan is growing really strong. Today he launched himself up a cliff while falling down a waterfall. It was something else I tell you. Chi-Chi has let me train him a little h, but boy has he grown so fast. You would be proud."

Sitting in silence for several minutes, knowing somewhere in the world beyond this one a kind old man is chatting back with him, using all the same goofy voices he remembered as a kid. Goku wipes a tear from his eye. Things have changed so much for Goku, once a carefree kid who spent his day's training and traveling the world with his friends, to a proud father, and a devoted husband.

Much of his innocence stolen away by the death of his friends at the hands of monsters like the Demon King Piccolo and with the offspring of King Piccolo stalking around Goku has to stay ready or the next fight will be his last. The thrill of the battle is what pushes Goku to the next level even more so than the need to protect his family. Not that he would admit it out loud, but Goku cannot wait for the next time he engages in mortal combat with Piccolo it calls to him.

"Grandpa, I am going to make a bet with you," Goku said with a smile on his face. "Gohan will grow up to be the strongest warrior who ever lived, I can feel it in him," Goku says, standing up and placing the cat mask back on the table. "I'll be back really soon, I promise," Goku says, walking out of the shrine shutting the door behind him.

Goku walks back down that same brick-laid path to his porch and removes his boots; entering his house Goku smiles at Chi-Chi who has breakfast done and on the table - eggs and toast. Goku grabbed his plate and sat down with a big smile on his face.

"How did your chat go," Chi-Chi asks. Goku begins to respond his mouth full of eggs. "Goku, do not talk with your mouth full," Chi-Chi says scolding her husband.

"Oh, right," Goku says, swallowing his food before continuing. "Pretty good, you remember that conversation we had two or three months ago," Goku asks, Chi-Chi looks at Goku confused. "About Gohan wearing weighted clothes?" Chi-Chi expression changes to disappointment.

"We have talked about this Goku, weights at his age stunts growth, and well, I don't mind you teaching him how to fight, but I don't want Gohan to focus on it all the time." Chi-Chi finishes but starts again before Goku can speak. "I rather he is a productive member of society than someone who always worries about the next battle."

"He might have to be Chi-Chi," Goku said, despondently. "Piccolo almost killed me last time we fought, and when we fight next one wrong move, and Gohan may be without a father," Goku said, knowing the anguish that statement would cause her.

"Goku, that is not fair, I stress over that every day," Chi-Chi says, her hand shaking remembering back to her husband's violent battle with Piccolo. How Piccolo maliciously broke every one of Goku's limbs. Chi-Chi thought she lost Goku during that fight. Yes, she knows that one day, the two will meet again and Piccolo might win, even so, it's not a thought that she likes a reminder of.

"I know it's not, but it is a reality – it scares me too." Goku lies. He is being hard on his wife because he has too, as long as Piccolo is around Gohan will need to defend himself. It is just the simple matter, plus selfishly Goku wants to see how strong Gohan can get.

"I know I just want my little boy to stay little," Chi-Chi says, hugging Goku, conceding the argument. "Just make it fun for him okay." Goku nods his head in agreement.

"Of course, and we won't increase his schedule, an hour before dawn, and an hour at dusk just like we agreed to plenty of time for school, work, and play," Goku says kissing his wife on her forehead. "I know Gohan is a kid, but should something happen to me he has to step up," Goku says before rushing upstairs screaming Gohan's name.

"Okay Gohan this is a special training gi," Goku says, unfolding a familiar orange top. "What makes it special is that the undershirt actually has weights, same for the boots, and wristbands," Goku says handing Gohan the shirt. "It is nothing too much the shirt weighs about five pounds. I had Kami make them for you when you were born. Never thought I actually be able to give you them." Goku says, joyfully.

"What's a Kami," Gohan said, struggling to slide one of the two-pound boots on his feet. Gohan's antics causes Goku to laugh.

"Kami is this really big green guy, with a lot of wrinkles." This causes Gohan to look at his father in wide-eyed terror. "He is the guardian of the earth, and he lives on the lookout with a genie. He is also the reason I am strong as I am today."

"He sounds really scary," Gohan says. His voice a little shaky, still struggling to get his other boot on. Eventually, with a bit of extra effort, he slides the boot on.

"Nah, he is not too bad. He watches over us from atop the lookout. He is a pretty good guy." Goku says, sliding the other boot on his son's foot. "Go on Gohan try to stand," Goku said with a good idea what is about to happen.

Gohan with his five-pound shirt, his two one-pound wristbands, and his two two-pound boots causes him to struggle to his feet. "Oh, I almost forgot, here put this on." Goku reaches behind his bed pulls out a turtle shell. Goku gave the shell to Gohan, who slides it on his back. The weight sends Gohan to the ground with a thud. "Now that shell, weights around fifty pounds, use your energy to strengthen your body. You can do it." Goku said.

At first, Gohan struggles to support an upright position, the weight of the shell encumbering the young child, but Gohan continues to try, cycling the energy through his body as his father suggests. As Goku suspects Gohan uses his energy to augment his strength, allowing him to stay upright.

Trying to take a step Gohan only manages at first to slide his foot across the ground, the second step his foot gets caught on a lump in the rug causing the child to crash to the ground. Tears start to well up in Gohan's eyes more out of frustration, than pain. Gohan gets back to his feet, his father's voice reassuring and encouraging him the entire way.

"No tears now," Goku says, kneeling down to his son's level. "It's never easy at first, but you can do it, I know it, soon you won't even need to use energy to carry these weights around." Gohan now fully back to his feet. "Now again, concentrate," Goku said.

"Yes sir," Gohan said, shakily taking his first step, extending his right foot forward taking a step, successful in his first step Gohan took a second. A smile forms on Gohan's face as he takes a third and fourth. His fifth step he lands on the side of his right foot, causing him to stumble off-balance falling to the ground.

Goku laughs watching his son tumble to the ground. Gohan's face scrunches up seeming like he about to start crying, but the child stiffens his upper lip and gets back to his feet, this time he marches around the room focusing on every step. After his third cycle around the room. Goku asks, "So do you think that you can handle the stairs?"

Gohan hunching over heads towards the door to his room, which Goku happily opens for him. "Okay, don't go so fast, your mother will probably be upset if you went tumbling down the stairs. " Goku says, standing over his son if he starts falling. But with some effort and help from the banister, Gohan makes it down the stairs. As Gohan reaches the bottom of the stairs, he moves quickly as his little legs can go into the kitchen.

"Mom, mom, mom!" Gohan says, entering the kitchen. "Guess what Dad gave me," Chi-Chi looks up from the table at her son acting surprised.

"Oh my goodness," She says rushing over to her son and tossing Gohan up in her arms. This caught Gohan off guard.

"Mommy you are so strong," Gohan says; "Daddy says the shell is over fifty pounds."

"You know, I am one of the best fighters in the world. I made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the world tournament," Chi-Chi says, sitting Gohan down, sinking into a stance she spun throwing a roundhouse kick followed by a couple of stabs with her hands. Gohan starts to clap in amusement.

"Can you train me as well," Gohan asks, bowing to his mother. The shift in his weight caused Gohan to fall over.

"We will see, as long as you keep up with your studies, they come first, then training – alright." Chi-Chi says, "But I am sure I can teach you a couple of things that your father can't." She finishes, punching her husband in the arm. Goku smiles, sitting down at the table working on finishing off his first helping of breakfast.

Chi-Chi for the first time since allowing Gohan to train felt that it would be good for him. She smiles, watching Gohan trying to mimic her kick, but the weight of the shell, causing to stumble and fall to the ground.

"Is he going to wear this to Roshi's?" Chi-Chi asks Goku looks up from his plate, swallowing his food before responding.

"Sure is, he has to get used to the weight, It's shocking he is moving around as well as he is," Goku says smiling standing up from the table, he walks over and places his plate in the kitchen sink.

"Daddy I can move so fast because I am really strong," Gohan says flexing his tiny arms. Gohan then proceeds to hop several times showing his strength.

"I suppose so," Chi-Chi says, sliding a pair of flats on, and blowing out a candle in the living room. "We probably should get going we are already running late. Go call Nimbus Goku."

"Alright," Goku says, walking out the door and calling for Nimbus, the peach colored cloud descends from the skies, a trailing puff of clouds following behind. "Hey Nimbus," Goku says, patting the cloud as it pulls up beside him. Chi-Chi and Gohan come out of the door ready to leave.

Goku helps his wife on the cloud. Then turns to Gohan, "You ready son."Gohan nods, and Goku lifts Gohan up sitting him in Chi-Chi's lap "Alright, I need to work on flying so I am going to fly beside Nimbus as we travel" Goku says. "Alright Nimbus to Kame House." The cloud, carrying Chi-Chi and Gohan soars towards the skies. Goku inhales before engulfing himself in his aura and taking to the sky.

* * *

On an island nestled in the middle of the ocean, rests a house, that belongs to a man centuries old. A master in the style of martial art unique to him, and honed by centuries of combat. Only a dozen or so people have ever graced this island, and even less has learned the ways of the turtle style of martial arts. Some call him the turtle hermit, other call him master, Roshi is a legend from his bouts in the world tournament, to his clash with Demon Lord Piccolo. However, Roshi's greatest accomplishment in his eyes is his current crop of students, who have banded together to save the world on multiple occasion, today is sort of a reunion.

"Of course Goku is the last one to arrive, the more things change and all," Roshi says taking a sip from his beer. Roshi is sitting on the floor beside his coffee table, in front of the television. Bulma, the blue-haired heiress to Capsule Corp. and an accomplished scientist in her own right. Krillin, a contemporary of Goku, he is a short bald monk and one of the best fighters in the world. Krillin started training under Master Roshi around the same time of Son Goku and has played an integral role in protecting the world from evil. Finally, a hero in his own right, the shape-shifting pig, Oolong

"Yeah, he would be late for his own funeral." The twenty-eight-year-old Bulma complained opening the refrigerator and pulling out a can of beer. Popping the tab Bulma finishes her statement, " I wonder if he will bring Chi-Chi."

"I don't see why not," Krillin added, sitting down beside Roshi. "So what have you been up to Bulma," Krillin asks.

"I, well I have just been trying to work things out with Yamcha, he is going through an identity crisis lately," Bulma said coming and sitting beside them. "I could not even get him to come over here today."

"That doesn't seem like Yamcha," Krillin adds.

Bulma sighs, "At first I thought he was cheating on me, now I think we have just grown apart." Bulma said, "After all, we were just kids when we met, and everything moved so fast back then. One adventure to the next, one danger to the next, getting attached seemed so natural, so easy, now that we settled down and our adventures have all but stopped the feelings that we thought are there just aren't."

"That's heavy," Krillin said, Roshi sits there with a stoic look on his face. The old master knew this feeling all too well throughout his long life, in times of strife people band together only to split apart again once the danger is gone.

Bulma livens up noticing the tone in the room has changed. "Anyways, what have all of you been up too Training?" Bulma taking a large swallow of her beer.

"Hmm, training you say," Roshi said, sniffing his mustache. "I have gotten really big into yoga, good for the joints – especially at my age," Roshi said his face flushing.

"That is because of you are a perv," Oolong said, opening the oven and removing some roasted vegetables.

"Hey now, I find that offensive, I do it for the exercise, if my memory was what it was when I was younger I wouldn't even need the tapes," Roshi said a toothy grin showing, his eyes hidden behind large sunglasses.

"Okay old man, whatever you say," Oolong said, placing the vegetables on the table by a wok of fried rice.

"Well, I have stayed with Roshi honing my skills, hoping that I can catch up to Goku, so I can help next time Piccolo attacks," Krillin says, holding up a picture of the two with Roshi before their first martial arts tournament.

"Ah, Goku should have just killed that creep back at the tournament," Bulma said slamming her fist into the ground. Roshi takes a sip of his beer and begins to talk about the nature of Goku.

"He can't kill Piccolo because Piccolo is his next challenge, for one reason or another Goku revels in a fight, even if it means putting everything else on the line. When Goku and Piccolo meet on the battlefield next, Goku will risk the safety of the world for a good fight. It is how he has always been it is how we all have been if you think about it. Moving from one fight to the next never giving ourselves enough time to look behind us, in many ways, we are never satisfied with one last fight, one last adventure, we are a cut above, for good or for ill." Roshi says sipping his beer

* * *

Goku sneezes flying over the middle of the ocean in a southward direction towards the Kame House. "I guess someone is talking about you," Chi-Chi says, laughing at her husband.

"I bet it is that rude waiter from the other day, trying to tell me what I can and can't eat, the nerve of that guy." Goku jokes, as the tiny island with a red roof house, coming into view. He veers down, Nimbus, carrying Chi-Chi and Gohan nipping at his heels.

Goku tumbles through the air, landing on the beach his feet sinking into the ground as Chi-Chi and Gohan pull up beside him riding nimbus.

"Hey guys, we're here!" Goku calls out helping his wife down from the puffy orange cloud. Goku sits Gohanon the ground. Krillin is the first one out of the door, rushing up to Goku, the old friends bump fists.

Gohan walks to the turtle and starts mimicking it by ducking in the shell on his back, before popping back up giggling. Eventually, the turtle says "Well hello there." When Gohan hears the turtle speak, he panics and runs back to his father hiding behind his leg.

"So this is Gohan, well, the names Krillin" Krillin says, waving to the little child behind Goku's leg, "Wow a gi just like your dad's huh, is it weighted like your father's?"

"Sure is, the shell is as well," Gohan says, stepping out from behind his father's leg pointing to the shell on his back before throwing a punch followed by a kick; when he threw the kick the added weight of his clothes sends him sinking into the sand and tipping over.

The group laughs, as Gohan struggles to his feet. "Well, aren't you cute, I am Bulma" Bulma says, kneeling down and ruffling Gohan's hair. She stands back up and embraces Chi-Chi. "How is it going Chi-Chi," Bulma says, pulling herself away.

"You know being the mother of two is pretty hard." The two share a laugh, Goku seemingly did not notice the dig.

"Okay, Gohan punch my hand as hard as you can," Krillin says, holding his palm out in front of him, giving the child a clear target.

"You sure, Mr. Krillin it might hurt," Gohan says reluctantly Krillin affirmatively nods. Gohan focuses in on Krillin palm, Roshi's eyebrows are twitching as he feels Gohan's power begins to rise. Krillin takes note.

"Hey, Goku you know..." Gohan's fist slamming into Krillin's hand cuts him off. Krillin takes a step back, shaking the pain from his hand before finishing his statement, "I was going to say that Gohan, he is already stronger than we were as kids."

"I know, he has a lot of potentials, I might leave him here and let Roshi train him." Goku jokes. Chi-Chi, however, does not view it as a joke and smacks Goku on the back of the head. "Hey, I am just joking," Goku whined.

"That is nothing to joke about, my Gohan will not stay with an old pervert," Chi-Chi said stamping her feet.

"Mom," Gohan says, causing Chi-Chi, and the rest of the group to look at him. "Mom, what's a pervert?" The collective faces reddened at the innocent question from the four-year-old.

"Ask me when you're older," Chi-Chi says thinking on her feet, Roshi walks over to the group laying his cane down, and hefted Gohan up, Chi-Chi starts to protest, but Roshi tosses the toddler high into the sky catching him on the way down.

"Whew, those are some heavy weights, I am Master Roshi" Roshi says, sitting down a now smiling Gohan. "I am surprised he has enough to energy to support the weight." Roshi picks his cane up and moseys over to Goku.

"Yeah, Gohan will be crazy strong, and super smart," Goku adds, earning a smile from his wife. "We just started weight training today, but we have worked on the basics for a while now. His energy control is amazing. I am pretty sure he is going to surpass us all before he is ten."

"It is certainly a sight that is for sure," Roshi says, laughing clicking his heels together. "Well let's go inside we can catch up more there, the pig made lunch."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a desert far to the northwest, the green monster known as Piccolo is meditating floating at the peak of a snow-capped mountain a white aura surrounding him. His white turban hiding his green antennas, and his white cape with shoulder pads draped over his purple tunic.

His thoughts focus on his last fight more than four years ago, with his greatest adversary – his mortal enemy Son Goku. Goku defeated him in the finals of the world martial arts tournament, but it was by no means decisive, and Piccolo will have the upper hand when they meet again.

Goku has a wife, and friends in Piccolo estimation this makes him weak, and more importantly than that it makes Goku vulnerable if Piccolo is willing to escalate their feud to the point of endangering others. Every time his thoughts fixate on the idea of abusing Goku, he remembers that family during his first year of life, how happy they were, how he ruined that with his actions, and despite what Goku did to his father he is not sure he can go after Goku loved ones.

Piccolo knows deep down that it will come down to a one on one fight, nothing else will suffice. When they met again he will do more than breaking Goku bones he will pierce his body, and take his life.

Piccolo raises his fingers to his head letting his energy flow through him a golden ball begins to form on his fingertips. Purple lightning radiates around the golden orb. As the minutes pass by the energy grows more intense, a devious smirk forms on the demon's face. Once the ball of energy reaches its apex, Piccolo crushes the ball of energy in his hand.


	4. Chapter 3

To the west of where Piccolo is meditating, innocuous livestock farms span acres over the grassy plains extending west forming into rolling hills. Cattle and sheep graze freely dogs live among them, keeping the animals safe from any roaming predators.

"Hey James," A farmhand calls, hauling a bale of hay into the back of a tractor. "You think that we will be done today before it gets dark."

"I reckon," James says, knocking the tractor into gear "I mean all there is left to do today is to collect the hay, so as long the balers do not take all day, I think so Ron." Both of the farmers are wearing similar gear, denim coverall, and gray undershirts.

Ron is in his mid-sixties and has spent most of his life tending the cows in this pasture his skin resembles leather from years spent in the sun, his gray mustache and balding mullet look snow white against his bronze skin. James is the younger of the two and the son of the farm's owner. James is only sixteen years of age with fair skin and red hair; James leaves one of his hands gloved as he works.

"Oh man, I can wait to head down to the bar, a sweet young thing is singing tonight; her voice is like an angel, I cannot wait," Ron says, shoving a wad of dip in his mouth.

"Ha, well when I am old enough to go I may join you," James said, inching the tractor forwards to the next bail of hay. Ron grunted lifting the bale up tossing it in the bed of the tractor before hopping back on for the ride.

"Hell son, I would take you now if your pa, wouldn't have my head for doing so," Ron says, pausing to spit.

"Yeah, he would." James starts before being cut off by an explosion from behind them. The explosion rocks the countryside, sending debris, dirt, and crops flinging through the air. James wheels the tractor around facing the direction the explosion. Smoke is rising from a thirty-foot crater. "What the hell," James said, hopping down from the tractor and rushing towards the crater, Ron nipping at his heels, pitchfork in hand.

Other farmhands start surrounding the crater by the time James, and Ron arrives. James leans over the crater to try and get a look at what caused the crash. The smoke is too thick to see through, though the sound of machine parts moving could be heard from within the crater. "What the hell,"

A figure silhouetted in the smoke starts to appear, a tall, bulky figure. As the figure steps through the smoke, it reveals itself to look very much like a human. His long, dark, spiky hair fell below his waist. His angular face marks by a green scouter, he scoffs at the twenty-four men surrounding him.

"Hey, don't move another muscle," James called, "This is my pa's farm, and you have no right here if you don't want no problems leave now," James says as the other farm hands close ranks around their boss's son. "I mean it," James warns one last time as the humanoid continues to walk towards the farmers.

"Hm, a power level of five, oh so threatening." The alien says sarcastically under his breath, "Pathetic," Raditz says as he spits. "My, name is Raditz, tell me short stack where is Kakarrott?" Raditz says closing within five feet of the redhead.

"Sir, unless you are talking about carrots, we do not have what you are looking for," James says his voice shaken. "Please leave."

Raditz looks to his left, and right scanning the farmhand's powers, stifling a laugh as he did. "Boy learns your place," Raditz says, lifting James up by his throat. " You threaten me with this pathetic lot." Raditz pauses once again before continuing. "Die."

Raditz starts to squeeze the boy's neck, most are watching in horror, but the veteran Ron has seen enough. He charges Raditz and shoves the pitchfork into the alien's side. The pitchfork splintered on impact. "Please do not hurt him." Ron pleads knowing his attack did no damage. "Kill me instead, I have lived a long life. I am ready."

Raditz chuckles easing his grip on the boy, but not letting him go. "As you wish," with a glowing fist Raditz took the man's head from his shoulder killing him instantly. The impact of the blow crushes Ron's head, spraying blood everywhere, the other farmhands recoiled at the brutality.

"We all going to fucking die," one man screams in scrambling away from the alien in terror. Raditz grip tightens on James's neck snapping instantly. Letting his limp body fall to the ground Raditz floats into the sky a purple ball of energy forming in his hand. His scouter locks on to the scattering people.

"Hide and seek is the game I see, you run I'll count. One, two, three," At three Raditz pauses unleashing his purple wave of energy slicing through the ground, and the terrified people down below. Not content Raditz fires another, and another until his scouter registers no life down below.

Clicking his scouter again, he picks a power much stronger than the farmers, "Let's see who else is wanting to play." Raditz says, flying west towards the higher power level.

* * *

Piccolo sits, meditating when a dark, powerful energy overwhelms him. "What, what is that," Piccolo said, snapping out of his meditation, preparing for the evil force converging on him. Every instinct within him telling him to run, but his pride would not let him flee. The sinister energy feels fairly similar to Goku but on another level.

Piccolo slides down his peak to a nearby plateau and awaits his potential adversary – no his adversary regardless of intent. Piccolo is going to rule this world his palace is already set high above the clouds, and this encroaching force threatened that no matter what, and Piccolo is not going to let any being threaten his destiny.

The figure halts his flight directly above Piccolo looks down at him, "You are not Kakarrott, tell me green man" Raditz said, looking around scanning the horizon with his scouter hoping to pick another target. "Is there anyone else on this planet who possess your strength.

"Do not ignore your enemy," Piccolo says sending a golden streaking ball of energy towards Raditz head. Piccolo's eyes shoot open when he notices that Raditz caught the blast with his hand.

"Hm, I figured you knew how outclassed you were, pity," Raditz said, raising the ball of energy above his head pouring his own energy into the blast. "Well green man, since you."

"The name is Piccolo, and this is my world," Piccolo says doing his best to brace for this attack, fearing it will be too much for him to endure. This guy power is beyond anything Piccolo or any living person on earth has ever dealt with.

"You're dead, let's not mince words with formalities," Raditz says, pausing before continuing. "Oh, very well, Piccolo would you like to play a game," Raditz says, Piccolo just sits in a stance silently waiting for the monster to make his move. "Silence, in this case, equals consent, So, all you have to do is keep your eye on the Birdy," Raditz says raring back preparing to launch his energy attack.

A blip appears on his scouter, "This must be Kakarrott," Raditz says mumbling. "Well, it is your lucky day, cherish it, because it is probably your last," Raditz says, letting the ball fall lazily from his hand before darting after a new level of energy.

Piccolo, sees the energy falling to the ground, knowing the blast radius would be huge he dashes away breaking out into full flight. As the orb hits the ground, the plateau ruptures and cracks, vanishing in a bright flashing light.

The range of the explosive blast extends three football fields, leaving a barren crater where a small mountain stood for millions of years. "Dammit," Piccolo says, uncovering himself from a boulder that landed on him after the blast. "He is headed towards Goku," Piccolo says struggling to his feet, before blasting off after him.

–

"Holy shit," Krillin says, rushing over to a window in Kame House. Moments ago the group was laughing it up now the tension in the room has been ratcheted up to ten, "Goku is that Piccolo," Goku is grimacing his hand levitating above the door knob trembling.

"No, Chi-Chi you and Gohan stay inside. Krillin, Roshi back me up. I never felt anything quite like this." Goku says opening the door, and walking out on the beach. Doing a bit of stretching, Goku feels that he is ready for the force closing on them, Roshi lays his staff down and removing his Sunglasses. Krillin steps up right beside Goku ready for a fight. "If anything happens to me Krillin, get Chi-Chi and Gohan out of here. Okay."

"Got it," Krillin says, his voice noticeably more shaken than Goku. "What is this power," Krillin asks shaken.

"I think we are about to find out," Roshi says, sinking down into a stance, his students follow suit in very similar stances waiting for the figure to land.

Raditz lands on the edge of the water, scanning the island his eyes fall on the middle figure. "As I live and breathe," Raditz says, walking up towards the trio his eyes on Goku.

Raditz gets within five feet of the group, no one moving an inch, the trio seemingly paralyzed in fear at the sheer power Raditz is emanating. "Goku what should we do," Krillin asks in a quiet tone.

Before Goku could answer, Raditz moves too quickly and embraces Goku in a tight hug. Krillin and Roshi jump back preparing to attack when Raditz speaks, "Kakarrott, brother it is so good to see you again, I thought you were dead, but low and behold you were sent here," Raditz says pulling Goku back tears falling down his face.

"Mom and Dad would be so upset at what a weakling you are. Three hundred and thirty-four what a disgrace." Raditz says, burying his fist into Goku's gut, causing Goku to double over in pain. Raditz catches his brother before he could hit the ground. "There, there I only hit you out of love."

"Get away from him," Krillin says, dashing towards Raditz only for Goku to raise his hand and yell at Krillin.

"Stay back! He will kill you." Goku says, struggling out of Raditz grip and back to his feet. "What do you mean, brother, I have no brother, and I never met my dad, or mom," Goku says, clutching his gut, a speckle of blood running from his lip.

"Hm, you did arrive when you were an infant," Raditz says, walking from left to right scanning the power levels of both Krillin, and Roshi. "Have you ever asked yourself why you were born with a tail." Raditz unfurls his tail. "Where is your tail, Where is it, did these savages cut it off, I'll kill them!"

Raditz says surging energy in his hand, Goku steps in between Raditz and Krillin. "Look, I cut my own tail off okay, it was nothing but trouble."

"How dare you," Raditz says, backhanding Goku across the beach. "The tail is a symbol of your Saiyan heritage, a key to unlocking our power, how dare you," Raditz says, fazing in front of Goku lifting him up by his gi. " I ought to smack your teeth down your throat."

"I don't know what a Saiyan is, I am a human," Goku says, tearing his gi freeing himself from Raditz's grip. "I am not a Kakarrott or a Saiyan, and you are not my brother. I am Son Goku and if you want to fight, let's go." Goku says removing his weighted wristbands, only for Roshi to stop him.

"Now hold on a damn minute, Goku. Your grandpa never told you the whole story when he found you." Roshi says, bravely stepping between the two Saiyans. Raditz interest peaks at Roshi dialogue.

Raditz plops down on the sand. "Yes, Kakarrott lets hear the story of how you became Goku, a human, from Earth. Then I may regale you with its prequel of Kakarrott, the last hope of a doomed planet."

"Okay," Roshi says carefully. "Your grandpa found you while looking for a meteor that crashed nearby the evening before. He was shocked to find a baby snoozing away in what appeared to be space pod. He took you in, saved your life." Raditz scoffs at that. "You were a devil child, mean and aggressive until one day you tumbled from your basket Gohan carried you around in. You took quite a hard hit to the head. I guess on that day you forgot your alien side, but Goku you are more human than any of us."

"I see," Goku says, staring at the sand below his feet for a moment before smiling. "It doesn't matter where I came from, the earth is my home, and Raditz it can be your home as well," Goku says sincerely extending his hand to pull Raditz up.

Raditz just laughs, "Except it does matter, my dear brother." Raditz says, taking Goku's hand and pulling him to the ground planting his knee into Goku's sternum. "As I mentioned our planet has been blown to bits, probably by that bastard Freeza, and we only have a handful of Saiyans left, I have been collecting them making sure they are safe. You have to come with me." Raditz says digging his knee further into Goku's sternum.

Krillin, seeing enough launches himself at Raditz, Raditz using Goku's sternum as a fulcrum, pivots planting his foot into Krillin's face sending him to Kame House. "Old man, I would stay back if I were you," Raditz says looking at Roshi

"Damn you," Goku says, flaring his aura taking advantage of Raditz overextending himself to free his chest and jerk back to his feet. "If you are here for a fight, then you will do it with me."

"Please, the result would be same, You see my tail, do you know why we Saiyan's have tails?" Goku did not respond, the gravity of the situation got to him. "It allows us to transform to the mighty Great Ape, increasing our power ten fold, If you still had your tail, perhaps you could have found the moon before me and won, but since you cut it off fighting me would be tantamount to suicide, and I could not live with myself if I let my own blood take their life," Raditz says mocking.

"Shut up," Goku says charging Raditz, aiming a punch at Raditz face. Raditz grabs Goku by his extended arm slinging him into the sand pressing Goku's face into the sand. Raditz then twisted Goku's arm, causing him to scream.

"That's right, cry like weakling you are," Raditz says adding more torque to the arm. Just then his scouter registered a growing power from inside the house. "Who is in there come out now." Panic rushes through Goku as he senses Gohan's energy spike, thankfully after a few seconds, Krillin steps out of the hole in the house blood trickling down his forehead, and nose. "Nice try badly, come out now or I will vaporize the damn house and everyone in there. Final warning." Raditz says purple energy forming in his hand.

"Goddamnit, stop." Goku cries, Raditz responds by stepping on the back of his neck, causing his voice to be muffled by the sand.

"I am going to count to three: One, two," Raditz says lowering his hand preparing to fire it at the house. Four figures emerge from the front door, first is Bulma, followed by Oolong, then Chi-Chi carrying a nearly enrage Gohan, his tail anxiously waving back and forth. "My, my aren't we being well behaved today. Well, you must be Kakarrott's son, well this may be a good planet to settle after all." Raditz says letting Goku up and walking over to Gohan.

Fear starts rushing through Goku's head as he moves to get in between Gohan, and Raditz. Raditz out the corner of his eye catches Goku's movement countering it with a swift knee to Goku sending him tumbling to the ground again gasping for air. "Well, it looks like your father wants to keep me from meeting my nephew," Raditz kneels down to click his scouter again. "Well would you look at that a power of seven-fifty,"

"Do not hurt my daddy," Gohan says seething, the venom in his voice caught Chi-Chi off guard. Raditz just turns his head and laughs. Standing up Raditz's looks Chi-Chi right in the eyes and asks.

"So are you my brother's mate," Chi-Chi shakes her head yes. "You must be so proud, of how strong your son is then." Raditz then snatches Gohan up by his tail, causing the boy to fall limp, and his power to reduce back to normal.

"Say Kakarrott, I gotta say you do not impress me, your son, however, well he is coming with me," Raditz says staring at Gohan. "Now it would be cruel to separate a father from his son without a chance at redemption, so if you kill a hundred of these humans by sunrise tomorrow, I will let you come with us. If fail in this task, I will leave with your son, and you will never see him again. Now I am going to have some quality time with my nephew."

Raditz shoots into the sky as Goku scrambles to catch his leg but is too slow. Krillin catches a fainting Chi-Chi, Bulma rushes to her side. Roshi stands stoically behind Goku as he pounds small crater into the beach,

"Krillin, Roshi, I'm sorry, I cannot win alone." Goku voice is hoarse with frustration, "Please help me get my son back." Goku says getting back to his feet. "I know what I am asking of you, I am sorry." A wrinkled hand falls onto Goku shoulder.

"We are well aware what you are asking, say no more we are with you," Roshi says as Krillin walks up beside the two.

"Yeah, Gohan is one of our own, we may all die fighting, but," Krillin said, digging his fist into his hand steeling his resolve. "We will bring him home."

Goku managed a small smile this is the best shot he has, with his friends standing behind him they will bring Raditz down. A laughing came from above. "You think you three will bring down that monster don't make me laugh."

Piccolo soars above them, Goku sinks down into a stance ready fight Piccolo. "Relax if I was here to kill you I would have already. No, I think we have a mutual problem that is much bigger than our feud." Piccolo finishes lowering to the beach. "And let's be honest your friends here you may as well be fodder against a power like that."

"He is not wrong Goku," Roshi says, walking over to the demon looking him in his eyes. "He is different than his father. " Roshi says earning a venomous look from Piccolo.

"What are you talking about he tortured Goku during the tournament, laughing while he did it don't you remember he broke all of his limbs" Krillin turns to Goku and says. "This is a bad idea."

"You have no choice, baldly, if you fight you will die," Piccolo says. "Goku and I are the only combination worth a damn, and even then our odds are not great." Piccolo turns to Goku. "I will set our grudge aside for now to rescue your son, and we will rescue your son you have my word.

"What do you have to gain from it," Goku asks, simple questions, Piccolo walks over to the edge of the water and says just one word.

"Amends."


	5. Chapter 4

"The hope of the planet now rests on the shoulder of two bitter enemies. Goku, and Piccolo, the world's strongest tag-team." Master Roshi says as the duo flies off into the distance, minutes from now they will engage in mortal combat with the strongest foe either of them has ever faced.

"You think you can keep up with that Dinky cloud," Piccolo mocks Nimbus as they fly off towards where Raditz's energy is coming from.

"I think you will be surprised just how fast Nimbus is." Goku says as the cloud zooms forward way ahead of Piccolo, seeing that Piccolo is not speeding up to match Goku, Goku does a one-eighty and mocks "See I told you,"

"Lucky for you, I am saving my energy, I could dust that cloud," Piccolo says. "We can race once this ordeal is over."

"You know Piccolo it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to have life and death fights. We can be friends you have not done anything horrible yet. Imagine how strong you would be if we train together?" Goku adds.

Piccolo stays silent for the rest of the flight, Goku respects it and gets his game face on readying himself for battle. A part of him is angry about his son being taken, and the other part of him cannot wait for the tough battle ahead. Goku always thought it was just his nature, it turns out he was not far off it is his Saiyan nature. "Piccolo, however, the fight goes, Thank you."

"Let's get this done," Piccolo says as they land in a clearing on what used to be a ranch. Raditz walks up from the crater his pod crashed in earlier that day.

"Well, the green man found a friend, how sweet. So I take you two are here to kill me?" Raditz ask. Piccolo and Goku walk in tandem getting within ten feet of Raditz.

"Where is my son Raditz," Goku says, staring down his brother. Piccolo began charging an attack behind his back hoping Raditz would not notice.

"He is in the pod over there, do you know I expected him to cry more. Tough kid." Raditz says. He drops the core of a fruit he is munching on and charges the unsuspecting duo. He passes behind them and delivers elbows to their backs sending tumbling towards the crater. "Ready or not." Raditz mocks.

Goku flips on his hand and rockets at Raditz. Piccolo takes this opportunity to unleash his charged blast, very similar to the one Raditz caught earlier but with much more power. Raditz moves forward, digging his fist into Goku's gut-grabbing him by his face implanting him into the ground.

Noticing Piccolo's blast Raditz catches it and slams it into Goku creates a larger crater in the ground and buries Goku under rubble. "Pathetic. Are you already dead Kakarrott." Raditz said, walking towards Piccolo.

In a panic Piccolo, tries to jump away only for Raditz to catch his foot and throw him into the ground. Not letting go of Piccolo's leg, he hoists him high into the sky before letting him go. As Piccolo falls Raditz drills his foot into Piccolo's gut drilling into the earth below; Raditz emerges from Piccolo's would be grave, a smirk on his face. "I expected more honestly; that was not even a warm up."

"Kamehameha." Goku emerges from the rubble like a bolt of lighting, his gi top completely gone, his weighted clothes with it. The speed catches Raditz off guard as the blast slams into the off guard Saiyan sending the Saiyan into a nearby hill. Without giving Raditz much of a chance to recover, Goku wraps around Raditz delivering a kick to the back of Raditz's head. He goes to follow up twisting around Raditz aiming an elbow into the gut of his older brother.

Raditz catches the blow, he shoves Goku backward and claps Goku's ears disorientating him. Raditz then rears back and punches Goku square in the sternum. Goku goes flying back. "Got to admit that speed caught me off guard. Too bad." Raditz says sending a purple blast that is set to collide with a defenseless Goku.

However, the blast does not reach its target, a second blast sends it off course and soaring off into the distance. "Goku, we should try working together," Piccolo says, taking off the remnants of his weighted shoulder pads.

"Sounds good," Goku said charging Piccolo falls in directly behind Goku making him harder to see, As Goku reaches Raditz he creates an after-image making Raditz adjust to an attack that is never coming. Piccolo burst through the after image wrapping his elastic arm several times around Raditz neck slinging the Saiyan into the ground.

Raditz emerges unscathed, his black armor still smoldering from the heat from the Kamehameha wave. "Oh, this is getting interesting now," Raditz says as he goes back on the offensive exchanging blows with both Goku, and Piccolo at the same time.

Piccolo and Goku attacking at the same time could not muster up a single hit against the impregnable defense of Raditz. He is just too fast, the only way they can land blows is by catching the Saiyan off guard if something did not change this fight will be over quickly.

"Goku, I have a special move. I was saving it to use on you, but now is as good of a time as any." Piccolo said flipping away creating distance from the attack Raditz. "It has one major disadvantage. It takes a total of five minutes to charge."

"I get your meaning if I can grab his tail it might immobilize him, if I can't, I will try to stall and hold him off. No matter what Piccolo finishes this." Goku says charging back into battle, colliding with Raditz in midair. Raditz uses his superior strength to take Goku to the ground before picking him rotating him and slamming him head first back into the ground.

Dazed, with blood pouring from his head Goku, as a last resort grabs a hand full of dirt and throws it into Raditz eyes. Raditz releases Goku and begins clawing at his eyes cursing, Goku crawls away and gets back to his feet. Before Raditz can fully get his vision back Goku buries his foot in Raditz gut, then follows that with a knee to the jaw. Seeing an opening Goku dive for Raditz's tail only for Raditz to use his tail to smack Goku into the ground.

"Die," Raditz said as he plants his right foot into the ground and delivers an earth-shattering kick, with his left, straight into Goku's abdomen, following that with a screeching blast that found its mark this causing Goku to howl in pain, piercing his lower abdomen and searing the skin around it.

Goku struggles to his feet, blood pouring from the wound in his gut, he is forming energy in his right hand to cauterize the wound to slow the bleeding. Raditz sees his opening charges his half dead brother again delivering a lariat across Goku's neck. Goku takes the blow and gets sent straight back into the ground. Despite the pain, a devilish smile spread across Goku's face, as Raditz scoots past him, the momentum from the lariat causing the Saiyan to overextend himself.

Goku makes a desperate grab for Raditz's tail, squeezing it tightly, Raditz crumbles to the ground screaming. "You little bitch, let go of my tail. Coward." Raditz says in a panic, trying to kick Goku's hand off of his tail.

"I can't let you win," Goku wheezes, "my son is counting on me." He struggles to get to his feet slipping on his blood crashing to the ground. "If it has to end this way so be it."

Goku said, lifting his legs, trying to get to his feet on his second attempt, this time succeeding, never relinquishing his grip on the tail. "I will not let you harm anyone else," Goku screams lifting Raditz up by his tail and slamming him into the ground. Still, his Saiyan brother shows very little signs of battle while Goku knows he is on his last leg, the gut wound likely fatal, the grip on the tail is the only equalizer.

"Get him in position Goku," Piccolo calls, signaling his attack is ready. Goku lifts Raditz up by his tail one more time, forcing him to his knees. Piccolo sees his shot let the blast rip screaming Makankosappo. The yellow beam with purple electricity encompassing it is sent flying from Piccolo's fingers towards a kneeling Raditz.

As Goku looks at the kneeling Raditz, sitting calmly resigned to his death. Goku starts to let go his tail. Goku could not bring himself to execute a man, especially his brother. Raditz notices the pain in his body recede just in time for him to narrowly miss that blast, though it does graze left shoulder burning through the muscles causing blood to spurt from it before the heat from beam cauterized the wound.

"Dammit, Raditz screeches at his wound, planting his hand on the ground. Raditz rotates and digs his heel into a shell-shocked Goku sends him flying towards Piccolo. "Stop being so damn soft," Raditz yells in rage pursuing Goku kicking him in the air. Goku fires a blast off to his right barely able to dodge a lethal energy blast sent from Raditz. Raditz pushes forward laying an elbow into the back of Goku's neck sending him spiraling to the ground unconscious.

Raditz then turns towards Piccolo. "That was a neat trick slug, would have worked, but my brother is a pussy," Raditz says as a sparkling ball of purple energy forms in his right hand. "Now, since you took the use of my arm, how about I take your's clean off," Raditz says phasing out he appears behind Piccolo bringing his sparking fist down on Piccolo's arm cleaving the limb off. Piccolo falls to the ground unable to scream from the shock. Raditz then puts his hand in the center of Piccolo's chest preparing to land a killing blow to the demon.

"Solar Flare," Raditz hears a now conscious Goku screams, turning to face the threat Raditz gets blinded by the bright light. Goku uses this time to snatch Piccolo from harm's way. "I don't have much left," Goku said, holding his ribs, his face stained red with blood, the smell of burning flesh, mixing with the metallic smell of blood to give off a pungent order of death. Goku knows he could be dying from the wounds, but his adrenaline keeps him in the fight for now.

"I can charge the attack, maybe one more time, the one arm should be no problem," Piccolo said hacking up purple blood. "If you manage to get a hold of his tail you cannot let go no matter what, your son's life is on the line Goku. Grow a pair and let's get this done."

The stakes are high as Piccolo conceals himself behind the rock, as a mortally wounded Goku struggles to his feet heading back towards Raditz, "I know, I'm sorry." Goku says his vision struggles to focus on his target. Piccolo can see his greatest rival fading. If he can end this quick perhaps a senzu would save his life, but for now, Piccolo has one goal make sure his final attack lands, so concentrating he charges his attack.

"Raditz let's finish this," Goku screams, his scream is vicious and hoarse. His pain pulsing in his voice, his anguish enunciated with every word. But there is another emotion despite the near death state, despite the stakes of the fight, Goku cannot help but find himself completely consumed with the idea of one more round with this guy. It intoxicates him.

Goku eyes are starting off into the distance, unable to focus on Raditz, who is struggling to get his vision back. Goku charges leaps into the air and delivers a kick straight to Raditz's guy. The blow sends Raditz stumbling backward. The blow knocks Raditz's vision back into focus. Raditz stare bores a hole into Goku, "I see it in your eyes brother your blood compels you to fight. It is the blessing of being a Saiyan but it is also a curse. A blessing because it makes us strong; a curse, because it puts our species in an early grave." Raditz says while effortless dodging Goku's punches.

Goku desperately aims to land a blow on Raditz shoulder trying to slow him so he could grab his tail. Raditz seems uninterested in Goku tactics and instead just wants to humiliate him. "Do you want to grab my tail," Raditz says, turning his back to Goku. "Go grab it." Raditz mocks.

Goku sloppily lunges at Raditz's tail missing as Raditz sidesteps Goku grab attempts, before flipping in the air, falling and deliver an ax kick to Goku shoulder making a sickening cracking sound as Goku's collar bone breaks. Goku falls to his knees. Without a word Raditz step on Goku's ankle crushing it, then does the other.

Goku is writhing in pain, as Raditz laughs. He flips Goku and delivers a hard punch to the face, followed by one to the gut. He then grabs Goku by his hand and begins to bend back his finger, causing Goku to struggle in pain as his fingers snap one by one.

Raditz then notices the sealed wound on Goku's gut. He digs at causing Goku to scream in pain, Raditz said nothing as he rips and pulls at the wound opening it more. "You will die today brother," Raditz said over the screeching Goku,

Raditz places his blood-covered hand over the reopened guy wound of Son Goku preparing the fatal blast. Raditz jerks in fear as his scouter pick up a reading from inside the crater. "Seventeen hundred, no way." Raditz barely gets the words out of his mouth before his pod goes up in flames. Out of the flames, a small child enveloped in white aura soars into the sky, a blue ball of energy forming in his cupped hands.

"Leave my daddy alone," Gohan said fazing closer to Raditz. "Kamehameha." The bright blue wave rockets towards Raditz. Raditz moves to dodge, but the beam curves upward. This catches the veteran warrior off guard. The blast catches Raditz squarely on his right leg, removing the leg from his body. Gohan falls to the ground expending all of his energy, as the smoke clears Raditz is hobbling on the ground a pool of his blood sits below him, he is using his one good arm for balance. He goes to float away, but he feels a force knock him off balance.

Goku uses his remaining energy to propel himself into the back of Raditz's remaining leg. The force of the blow sends the taller Saiyan tumbling to the ground. Goku unable to get a strong enough grip with his hands wraps his legs around Raditz's torso trapping his arms. Goku struggling through great pain manages to hook his ankles.

The severely weaken Raditz, struggles to get upright, trying to free his hands to know avail. Raditz gets up on his one knee balancing to stay upright. "Now Piccolo end this," Goku screams.

Piccolo emerges from behind the rocks he is hiding behind. "Makankosappo" Piccolo calls his attack forth, and it rockets towards the brothers. Their destinies now intertwined as the attack pierces through Raditz's armor with no issue, following through Goku torso. Both brother's bodies seize as they fall over Goku falls on his back, and Raditz falls on his face.

While Goku could not execute another person going how by sacrificing himself seems like the appropriate way to go. A serene smile spreads across Goku's face as he awaits. Death, his son unconscious across the battlefield, he is thankful for that he did not need to see his father in this state.

Piccolo approaches the dying warriors, as a pink jet copter descends from the sky. As it lands Chi-Chi is the first one off of the copter rushing towards her fallen husband, ignoring the green man standing over him.

"Oh God Goku, please stay with me," Chi-Chi says, caressing Goku's head, noticing the two gut wounds she felt nausea. "Goku," Chi-Chi said, kissing her husband's forehead. Krillin rushes up beside the two.

"Hang in there man, I can go get a senzu from Korin's in time," Krillin says, speaking too fast for Goku to properly understand what he is saying. He is fading fast. Krillin starts to dart away, but Goku grabs his hand.

"It's too late," Goku said, choking out the words. "I won't make it that long," Goku says hacking blood. "I am sorry guys I was not strong enough." Chi-Chi starts crying, holding her husband as he dies. "Please don't cry Chi-Chi, you can wish me back. I want to see Gohan grow up, and I want to be there for his next birthday and the rest, I want to be there for you, and I will I promise, you are my light. Wish me back. I love you." Goku says incoherently as he faded into the ether.

What is strange his Goku's body disappeared while Chi-Chi is holding it. Krillin grabs a hysterical Chi-Chi. "Hey, you gotta be strong for Gohan, we will wish him back I promise, I will find the dragon balls myself," Krillin says trying to calm Chi-Chi down.

Piccolo, who has provided silent vigil to the fallen warrior grunts. "He is in good hands I bet Kami has something to do with that. "Piccolo tells Krillin acknowledges his words. Piccolo walks over to Raditz, Bulma who has stood off to the side with Roshi walks over to the dying Saiyan as well.

Piccolo approaches Raditz and hears the Saiyan mumbling some words into his Scouter. He stops and lets the slain warrior say his final words uninterrupted, holding his hand up Bulma also waits respectively out earshot. When Raditz finishes he presses a button on the side of the device several times a small smile forming on his face as his body falls still.

Bulma pilfers the Scouter from his dead body and clicks one of the buttons on the side, a voice is heard over the Scouter. "They are going to bring their fighters back from the dead, interesting." A sly voice says over the communicator says breaking up, Bulma catches a word the voice says despite the interference. "Dragon Balls."

"Who is this," Bulma demanded, Piccolo looks at the device strangely, "Who the fuck is this," Bulma demands again, her nerves shot from the site of the battlefield. Chi-Chi is holding an unconscious Gohan, Krillin and Roshi approach and stand beside Piccolo. After nearly a minute a new voice appears on the radio gruff and angry.

"Are you the one that killed Raditz, woman." The voice causes Bulma to shiver and rip the Scouter from her her head throwing it on the ground. She walks away mumbling curses.

Piccolo picks up the Scouter and places it on his ear. "I killed Raditz," Piccolo says, clutching his nub of an arm.

"Well, what is your name mystery man," The voice responds. Piccolo can hear two more voices mumbling in the background.

"My name is Piccolo," Piccolo says, staring off into the distance, Piccolo waits patently it is over a minute for a response finally it came in.

"My name is Vegeta, and I am the Prince of all Saiyans, I and my two cohorts are coming to earth, I'll give you a fair warning the weakest of us is four times stronger than Raditz. We will be there in the time it takes for your planet to complete one revolution around your sun, prepare well. We will kill you Piccolo, and we will take the Dragon Balls."

Piccolo did not respond, he took the Scouter off of his ear and tossed it to Bulma. Bulma nervously fumbles the device before bringing it under control.

"A year, we have a year. There are more Saiyans coming, and they are stronger than we can even comprehend." Piccolo says stoically. "They are coming for the Dragon Balls."

"We," Krillin says inquisitively. "You are going to fight with us?" Krillin asks, Roshi steps up beside the two.

"Yes, this is my planet as well. I will defend it. I suggest you head to Kami's lookout and receive training similar to Goku." Piccolo said, "We will need you at your strongest." Krillin nods, swallowing a lump in his throat. Roshi rests a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I will be taking Gohan" Piccolo says, walking over to Chi-Chi. With a heave, he sprouts a new arm replacing the one lost during the fight with Raditz.

"No, no, no you cannot take my baby," Chi-Chi says, jerking away from Piccolo, stumbling a tripping over a rock. "You can't have him," Chi-Chi screams.

Krillin steps in front of Piccolo a bit unnerved at his new arm. "I can't let you take Gohan," Krillin says, his voice shaking.

"Let him pass Krillin," Roshi says. "You felt Gohan's power during that fight we need that. Otherwise, we will all die." Krillin slumps down, landing on a nearby rock. "I'm sorry Chi-Chi."

"Please, no, he is all I have," Chi-Chi said, scrambling away with her unconscious child in her arms.

"I will not hurt him," Piccolo said, trying to sound reassuring as he wrestled the child away from his mother. "Just one year," Piccolo says, turning towards Roshi and Krillin, away from a shell-shocked Chi-Chi, Bulma moves to embrace the younger woman. "We will have the battle of our lives, today was a dress rehearsal, do not take your training lightly," Piccolo says blasting off into the sky with Gohan in his arms.


	6. Interlude 1

Raditz pod pounds into the ground, creating a new crater, in the land scarred from the Saiyan's attack four years earlier, the tall Saiyan yawns as he gets out of his pod, a lazy look on his face, he has just woke after a long journey through space to see his secret mate, and as far as he knows the last female Saiyan save for his daughter of course.

Vessa steps out of metal house, as Raditz approaches their farmland. Vessa is wearing a slick silver dress that hangs from her left arm, and the skirt extends down to the knee on the right side, while stopping at her upper thigh on the left. The dress has dark blue gems around the neck of the dress. Raditz is carrying a bouquet of wild gem-like flowers from the country side, Raditz greets Vessa in a rustic embrace lifting her high into the air. Vessa smile warmly. She does not know: why she forgave Raditz, when it happened, or even if she was sincere in her forgiveness; but she has grown to enjoy his company.

Sitting Vessa down Raditz sees a small figure silhouetted in the door, she ran out at full speed embracing her father, "Cress you have grown so big," Raditz says rustling his daughter's hair, "and so strong." Raditz says putting Cress down, the young Saiyan flexes her non-existence muscles. Raditz clicks his scouter, "One-hundred and thirty-five, gotta says little one that is pretty impressive."

"You think so," Cress asks wide-eyed, Raditz nods causing the little girl to twirl in excitement. Her shaggy black hair falls to the middle of her back, with bangs swooped across her forehead. She has a gray headband keeping the hair out of her face, and is wearing a dark green dress with orange and white leggings underneath. The dress hangs from her left shoulder much in the style of her mother. She has smokey gray gems extending along the neck seam.

"Oh, before I forget, I brought gifts," Raditz says, pulling a remote pressing a button causing a second pod to descend from orbit to the ground below landing gently beside Raditz, Raditz presses another button and the door pops open. "Gather round time for some show and tell." Raditz exclaims excitedly.

"First, on the docket. Small but with untold uses, I brought one for each of you." Raditz says, pulling out two scouters a purple one, and an orange one. "I took into account your favorite colors, first for the lovely Vessa," Raditz says getting down one knee presenting the scouter to Vessa. She puts it on and presses the button on the side.

"Ooh, look at you, your power is over a thousand. Impressive." Vessa says, rubbing Raditz arms, Raditz flexes showing off, "We may have to send Cress to bed early." Vessa alludes as Raditz starts to blush. Since the attack Vessa has always been amazed how a once menacing threat became an endearing goofball. Surely Raditz is still the monster that killed her family, but at least around her, and especially Cress he was the lighthearted man she has come to love – maybe.

Cress gets her scouter, and quickly puts it on her head, "mommy I am almost as strong as you are." Cress says excitedly. Cress throws a couple of punches in the air excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah, I was never the fighting type." Vessa teases, rustling her daughter's hair. "You however are pretty damn amazing." Vessa says, Raditz clears his throat interrupting them.

"Speaking of being a warrior, the next gift is just for Cress, I had some super special armor made for you." Raditz says, Cress's eyes light up at this proclamation she does a little jig in excitement.

Raditz pulls the armor our, its like his minus the large Pauldrons. It has simple shoulder straps instead, the color is also different. It chest pieces is dark green, with the gut piece and shoulders straps are a red, orange, the hip guards that hang below the chest pieces are a dark green too.

"Wow, daddy, thank you. Can I put it on mommy." Cress asks, rushing to grab the armor, Vessa says nodding her head but adds.

"Go and grab a top from inside first. Vessa says, the child excitedly dances inside shaking her hips the way, her tail wagging excitedly.

"While she is gone, I also got us some gifts," Raditz pulling out a glowing bottle of liquor, and second and a third. Vessa raises her eyebrows, a sly smile forming on her face. "Planning on something."

"Well you know." Raditz says stumbling his word on his words, Vessa grabs Raditz by the collar of his armor and kisses him.

Pulling away Vessa asks. "What did you tell them this time, off to get store to get some bread." Raditz runs his hand through his hair, a confident grin on his place.

"I took a solo contract, on a planet two months from here, I planned around their full moon, so I could finish quickly and get over here as fast as possible. I can stay for five months or so without anyone getting suspicious. " Raditz says,

"Or forever." Vessa adds, "I know why you can't tell the others about us, they would take me, but you do not have to be one of them, those monsters. I prefer you being the man I love." Vessa says sternly but tenderly.

"I can't" Raditz tenses, "They are my brothers, all that is left of my, no, our race. Can we discuss this later on, after all we got five months." Vessa gives a weak smile in agreement. "I am not so dense that I know it does not bother you, just don't know another life."

"I get it, and we will discuss it more." Vessa says as she hears little footsteps coming from the house. "Our daughter is ready for her fashion show." Vessa says, turning towards the door, as the child comes out wearing, a pair of silver compression shorts, and a short-sleeved silver shirt. "Will this do mommy," Cress says, twirling, Vessa nods. Cress picks the armor up and slides it over her head. "Wow, it's so light, look at me." Cress says jumping in the air.

"The cool thing about it, is you will never need a new pair of armor, it will expand as you grow. As long as it's not destroyed you will never need a new pair, it's pretty great stuff," Raditz says tugging on his armor showing its elasticity.

"Oh really," Cress says excitedly tugging on her armor, seeing how stretchy it is, Mommy, do you have any?" Cress asks, Vessa sighs.

"Yes, your father thought it would be a good gift for a pregnant woman because I will grow out of all my normal clothes, a real charmer this guy." Vessa says patting Raditz on his chest.

"Oh, you should go put your armor mom, we can match them, we can take a picture." Cress says excitedly.

"Um, sure," Vessa says reluctantly, going inside the house taking her dress off as she did Raditz starts to follow, but Cress runs over to her father and asks

"Hey daddy, wan to fight." Cress says getting into a stance that her father showed her a year ago. "I have been practicing." Raditz smiles and says.

"Okay a quick lesson, keep your eye on the birdie," Raditz says a pink ball of energy forms in his hand, and launches it towards the sky, as the pick ball soars towards the sky, as it is almost out of view Raditz squeezes this hand shut, causing the blast above to explode in a violet explosion radiating across the sky. Cress looks starry-eyed at the explosion.

"Show off," Vessa says, leaning in the door frame of the doorway, her armor is matte black with metallic silver lining, she is wearing silver compression shorts and no top. The style of the armor is very similar to Cress's minus the hip guards.

"You look amazing," Raditz says, Cress leads her mother over to her father, posing them with the blue-gray mountains in the background.

"Hold there I will go get the camera." Cress says rushing into the house,"Don't you move." She calls back as she rushes into the house sliding across the floor, as she tries to turn too quickly. A few moments she emerges with this large cylindrical object, that has a lens on the front of it.

"Okay," Cress says, fiddling with it. "I am not quite sure how this works." Smiling Vessa walks over and presses a button on the side causing the pole to extend and impale itself into the ground, Vessa presses another button near the top.

"Alright hurry get in place." Vessa says. Rushing over get in the picture, she wraps her arm around Raditz and squeezes in close, the object emits a bright flash before it spits out a sixteen by sixteen picture of the three. Cress rushes to grab it.

"Careful let the ink dry, you will smudge it." Cress slows down and grabs the picture by its edges waving it through the air to dry the ink. She looks at a grin appears on her face. "This is amazing," The four-year-old said her tail wagging excitedly.

Showing to her parents, they look down at the picture and then at each other affectionately. "We will have to frame it Cress," Vessa says, handing the photograph back to her daughter. Cress smiles rushing to put inside.

"So we should play hide and seek," Cress says, excitedly. "You both count and I hide." Cress finishes.

"Alright Cress, but you have to stay away from the cities," Vessa says reminding her daughter of their one rule. Raditz looks away guilt overcoming him

"Of course, no using scouters, that's cheating. Now close your eyes." Cress says both of the Saiyan parents closed their eyes. And Cress darts off into the countryside. Raditz removes his scouter, as does Vessa sitting on a surface inside the house they give Cress twenty more seconds to hide before going after her.

"Should we split up," Vessa suggest, she feels Raditz's tail wrap around hers."Later we have to go find our daughter before she gets bored." Vessa says floating into the sky.

"Oh, alright, Vess, Where is she usually hiding." Raditz asks, Vessa smiles knowingly exactly where her daughter wandered off to.

"Oh, I know exactly where she is, she likes to go play in the ship I crash landed here on," Vessa says, Raditz looks at her puzzled.

"You never told me you knew where you spaceship was, I would like to look at it, see if the logs show anything about the rest of the babies that was sent off of the planet." Raditz says curiously.

"Looking to replace me already," Vessa teases, Raditz just smirk, as the gingerly fly towards the pods, not wanting Cress to think that was the first place they looked.

"Of course not, you are you, which makes you the greatest, but if there are others maybe we can bring our race back from the brink" Raditz says optimism in his voice.

"Maybe the universe does not need more Saiyan's, I have seen what we are capable of first hand, what you are capable of. We are the monsters." Vessa says coldly, Raditz stares at the ground as they fly mumbling an apology.

"I am sorry Ves, if I would have known." Raditz says in a low tone, guild laced thick in his voice.

"Exactly my point Raditz. Look, I love this you, but the only reason you are sorry is because I am Saiyan if I was a different species you would not have had a second thought eight years ago, you killed my mother, and father, my brothers, and sisters – an infant Raditz. I want to forgive you, I want to love you as my own, but every time I think about you I initially think about that day. Raditz, we Saiyans are monsters." Vessa says coldly.

"You are right, of course you are." Raditz says, "I hope I would have made amends by now. I was just following orders."

"Do not spit that lie out to me one more time, you were enjoying the slaughter, lost in the thrill of battle, drunk on your own blood-lust. Raditz I was seventeen, not a child, I remember everything, do not lie to me Raditz." Vessa says glaring at him.

"That is not fair, I have tried to make amends." Raditz says weakly, "I have not known another life."

"Yeah, well I have, and I can say this with certainty the universe will be better off without a planet full of Saiyans around." Vessa says defiantly, as they fly over a meadow of blue-gray grass.

"Yeah, but what about Cress? She would be happier with other people around." Raditz says, Vessa slaps him mid-air the two stops flying and stare at each other Raditz stunned, Vessa furious.

"How dare you, Cress is nothing like you, and she has no clue who you really are, and if the stone gods are good she will never know. She will grow up loving her father for the man that he becomes when he is around her, not the monster he really is." Vessa said, her anger peaking.

"You hate me don't you," Raditz says defeated, "I can't really blame you." Raditz says deflated lowering to the ground, Vessa follows her anger cooling.

"No you idiot, you gave me Cress and that alone is enough to love you." Vessa says kissing her mate pulling away Vessa says. "But I cannot forget what you did, nor can I ever fully forgive you."

"I don't know if I can change," Raditz's says honestly, Vessa caresses the taller Saiyan's face pulling in close for a hug and says.

"I am not asking you too, but do not ever tell our daughter who her father really is, it will destroy her, you are her hero." Vessa says leaving Raditz's embrace floating back up into the air. Raditz feels tears forming in his eyes, wiping them quickly before any of them fall they both continue looking for Cress.

A deep pit of shame starts to form in Raditz, Cress can never know who her father is. What would she be like if she was born on planet Vegeta? Would she still be as innocent? No, she would be in training to become a cold-hearted warrior, like Raditz. "If it is worth anything, I am glad Cress was not born on Vegeta, if she was, she would not be who she is today."

"Yeah, I am aware," Vessa says as the two fly between two mountains capped with snow down into a windswept desert, covered in a mud colored sand. They were able to spot the rusted over pod from a distance as they lowered to it. When they land, they can see Cress in the pod pressing all the buttons.

"Oh, how did you find me," Cress says jumping out of the pod running over to hug her mother, and father. "Y'all are too good,"

"What can we say," Vessa says nonchalantly, "We are psychic," Vessa says rustling Cress's hair. Cress looks up at her mother with squinted eyes.

"No you are not, because I would be psychic and I can't read minds." Cress says skeptically, this earns a laugh from the two Saiyans. Raditz walks over to the ship and lifts it out the ground surprising Cress. "Wow Daddy you are strong,"

Raditz smirks, "Well, what can I say." Raditz says floating into the sky, Cress floats up beside him.

"Wait daddy, I want to ride in the ship, I can pretend like I am flying around in space." Cress says as he climbs in the pod. "Alright hold on I gotta strap in." She says, trying to buckle the harness. "Mommy, I need help." Cress says, Vessa floats up in the air in front of the pod, and buckles the harness for her daughter. "Alright, ready for take off."

"Want to go fast." Raditz asked, Cress is squealing yes from inside the pod, as Vessa shuts the door. Without a second thought Raditz blast at high speeds through mountains and over hills, flying at extreme speed back towards the house.

Vessa cannot help but smile while shaking her head as she lazily flies back towards the house. "Raditz please stay like that, please." Vessa prayed out loud to no god in particular.

As Vessa reaches her land, she can see that Raditz has all manner of cables hooked up to her space pod from his space pod, Cress is looking on with an odd mix of boredom, and fascination. As Raditz tries to type on a keyboard with his big meaty fingers. "Can I be of some help." Vessa says as she lands near her daughter.

"Yes, I cannot type for shit," Raditz says, flustered, "will you please type in these codes for Raditz says handing Vessa a list of codes.

Vessa punches away at the keyboard, her delicate fingers having no issue finding their mark. Once Vessa punches in the last code her rusted pod powers own floating in the air. "Wow," She says, amazed at what several numerals in a string can do.

"Amazing, so your old ship is now being powered by my ship, once it's powered I will let my ship charge the battery. But while the power is on." Raditz says to Vessa ripping a console off of the ship scrolling through the logs. "Oh man, I can believe it, this is intense." Raditz says looking down at the screen

"What is it love," Vessa asks, looking over his shoulder, Cress as moves close so she can see what her parents are doing.

"I can't believe it, it is every pod, four thousand of them." Raditz says before abruptly stopping, "Kakarrott," Raditz says slowly, letting the words meal over in his mouth. "Kakarrott may be alive,"Raditz says rushing over to his pod, and imputing some coordinates into his computer. "Four years away, huh?"

"Daddy, what are you looking at?" Cress asks, Raditz goes and tosses Crest into the air nuzzling her against his cheek excitedly.

"Cress, your uncle may be alive, after all these years," Raditz says, tossing Cress into the air catching her on the way down. "Kakarrott, I can't believe it."

Later that evening, a few hours Cress is in to bed, Raditz, is lying on a floor mat cuddling his lover, both sipping on the liquor he brought, both covered in sweat. "I am going to go find him." Raditz says.

"How are you going to manage that, you said that you could only be gone for five months, that is a lot shorter than four years." Vessa taking a shot of the glowing liquid.

"Who cares, I am going to spend my five months here with you two and then I am going to find my brother, and we are going to live together as a family." Raditz says his eyes shining from the alcohol.

"What if he doesn't want to come, what will you do." Vessa says asking a question Raditz did not consider.

"Well, I guess I would make him come with me, I am his older brother after all." Raditz says taking the bottle from Vessa drinking some liquor.

"You cannot do that, maybe his planet is nice, Cress and I could come there, I got a ship." Vessa says jokingly. "Four years away is far enough from Freeza we could live a happy peaceful life." Vessa says snatching the bottle back playfully.

"Maybe," Raditz says not sounding nearly convinced by his loves words, in the back of his mind, he obsesses over the idea of bringing his race back from the brink, if and with those logs he will have the ability. In fact Raditz would go one step further his pride demands that he does so. They could take revenge on Freeza.

"Raditz, I want you to make a promise to me." Raditz turns on his side to look at Vessa who just stares at the ceiling, her glistening face illuminated by the faint glow from alcohol. "Wherever this search takes, you never act without thinking about me," She says turning to Raditz kissing him. "Never make a move without thinking about Cress, never make a move without considering your family."

"I cannot promise that, like you say I am a monster, I was raised that way. I cannot promise anything because I will likely break it." Raditz says, he can feel Vessa sigh in frustration. "Look I am not perfect."

"I am painfully aware, but here is where you are mistaken to your daughter you are. A whole hell of a lot more perfect than me, you disappear for months or years and come back bearing gifts, and while you are here you are all smiles and sunshine." Vessa trying to keep her temper from flaring – the alcohol is not helping. "But you don't deserve a damn bit of her adulation and make no effort to get there."

"You said it did not matter, as long as she thought I was a hero," Raditz says, standing up revealing his naked body, not even trying to cover up.

"Yeah, and if you keep screaming like that she will find out fast who her father really is, the crimes he committed." Raditz storms outside tossing a robe over his shoulder Vessa closely behind him. "What are you going to run away. How selfish are you."

"You don't understand, you can't, you weren't raised as a Saiyan" Raditz say "I will move planets for that girl in there, but this is bigger than that Ves this is my race, this is about vengeance."

" I am glad I was not raised a Saiyan, I would not know what compassion and empathy are, you let your damn pride control everything about you. Do you even care about Cress, about me or do you just need us for your ego?"

"Stop now woman," Raditz says, grabbing Vessa by her wrist, his eyes denoting his fury. Vessa rears back and spits straight in Raditz face.

"Do not ever touch me again, you bastard." Vessa hisses, for a split second she saw the monster show himself. "Do not touch me ever," She reiterates tossing the bottle of glowing liquid at him, he ducks it as it goes spinning across the ground. Raditz begins to storm away.

"That's all we are to you is a boost to your wounded ego. It drives you up the wall that you are weakest of your group, but you have something they can never have. It doesn't matter how strong they are, you have a wife and child hidden away from them." Vessa continues to press Raditz.

"Woman I am warning you, I will not do it again." Raditz says in a cold venomous tone. Vessa as the alcohol burns within her is content to continue to press the issue.

"I get it now, this was never about love. I knew you never really regretted killing my family. But I always assumed your feelings about me were genuine, about your daughter, no it is all for your damn pride you won't make one damn sacrifice for her. I ask you to leave Freeza's army and run away with us and you said no, you said you know no other life. Now that you got a shiny new object in front of you, you are like fuck it, I'll leave Freeza army and go on a four-year journey across space. My daughter, who cares if I miss her most precious moments, who cares if I am not there to console her when she is shivering from a nightmare, or be there to see her accomplishments. Nothing matters to you, but your goddamn pride."

Vessa tears into Raditz years of frustration unleashed from killing her family to ignoring the most simple request to keep his family in his thoughts. She lets all go as Raditz storms past his ship into the fields below the farm, the wind from the early morning whipping their hair. Raditz says nothing to the tirade. Sparking Vessa to continue.

"Look Raditz, be honest to yourself did you ever love me." Raditz turns without warning and backhand Vessa into the ground. A shocked look on his face, he cannot believe what he has done.

Vessa struggle to her feet, blood running from down from her mouth, Raditz stands as still as a statue seeing the blood of his mate staining the grass. Then Vessa says the words that digs into Raditz's heart.

"Leave," Vessa says, spitting a mouthful of blood on the ground in front of him. "Leave," Tears are running down her cheek, Raditz stands there unmoving, unresponsive to Vessa's words. "Goddammit leave, Raditz, leave and never come back. Go rebuild your fucking race, I wish you all the success, I hope you remember what you lost"

"You're right," Raditz says in a harsh tone blowing past Vessa heading towards the house Vessa grabs him by his wrist before he can pass his space pod.

"No, you have no right." Vessa says coldly, Raditz looks an energy ball forms in Vessa bloody hand, intensity showing her drunk tear filled eyes.

"She is my daughter." Raditz says wounded, before reinforcing his tone. "I will do as I please." Raditz says, pulling his arm away from Vessa ignoring her threats.

"You go in that house, and I will tell her: why we live on an abandoned planet, I will let her go to the cities, see your handy work. I will tell her how her father is an evil bastard who would have killed me if was a different race. I will tell her goddamn everything. Do not go in that house." Vessa threatens, the energy dispelling in her hand.

Raditz walks right up to her, side by side Raditz is many inches taller than his mate. Vessa does not flinch and in a deadly tone she says one word. "Leave now." Raditz does not move till a voice from behind him causes him to flinch.

"Mommy, daddy, why are you yelling." Cress steps out on of the house still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Raditz does not look back at his daughter, as he brushes past Vessa and towards his pod.

"Daddy, where are you going," Cress cries urgently chasing her father, he stops at her words, but only for a moment before hopping in his pod, shame clearly shows on the wounded Raditz.

Vessa rushes forward and scoops a screaming Cress up carrying back towards the entrance of the house, "Where is daddy going," The young Saiyan frantically screams.

"Shh, baby daddy's planet is under attack, he has to go defend it. He has to go be the hero." Vessa says telling the same lie, she told for years now. "It's okay wave goodbye as he goes." Vessa says, trying to calm her child.

"No, he just got here, we haven't trained any, and you didn't cook him his favorite meal. He can't leave yet. Daddy!" The crying child calls to her father, she tries to pull away from Vessa but the mother's grip is too tight.

Raditz looks at his frantic daughter screaming at him as a deep-seated guilt run through him. He did love his family. Without a word, he presses a button on his computer and his pod blast out of the atmosphere towards the supposed place of his brother. Closing his eyes, Raditz allows himself to fall asleep.

Vessa holds her child consoling her the best she can, as she sobs staring at the sky. "I'm so sorry." is all Vessa can say, seeing her daughter this distraught, and knowing it was partly her doing. She turns Vessa around and rocks her as she cries, softly humming to her till she falls asleep.


End file.
